Mintel research suggests UK consumers will continue to adopt a wait-and-see approach to booking holidays.
A Mintel survey conducted in late November found 11% of those planning to stay in the UK for their main holiday planned to book before the end of this year and 17% to book between January and the end of March.
A similar proportion of those planning to travel overseas for their main break (27%) planned to book by the end of March, but this was “roughly half the level we would expect in a ‘normal’ year”, according to Mintel associate director for travel Marloes de Vries.
She reported: “A large proportion – 34% of domestic holidaymakers and 23% of overseas holidaymakers – did not know when they would book.”
De Vries also noted: “The rising cost of living will make some consumers more price-sensitive. This will result in higher demand for low-cost options such as camping holidays, while all-inclusive concepts should prove more popular.
“On the flip side, there are still a lot of lockdown savings and holidays are deemed a priority. More than half of travellers who’ve increased their savings since the start of the coronavirus outbreak are interested in upgrading elements of their holidays in the coming year.”
Mintel surveyed 1,000 UK adults online between November 25 and December 1.
The survey also found that 24% of UK adults were planning to book an overseas or domestic holiday by the end of March, “well below” pre-pandemic levels.
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