New research underlines ongoing demand and shift away from summer

Consumer desire for summer holidays overseas shows no sign of waning with exclusive YouGov research confirming anecdotal reports by agents and operators of strong demand throughout January.

However, the research suggests increasing demand for travel outside peak periods and the hottest times of year, with a significant proportion of parents suggesting they could take children out of school in term time to avoid the highest prices and a large minority saying they could do so to avoid the hottest months.

Consumer research by YouGov for Travel Weekly late last year found 55% of UK adults ‘likely’ to take a summer holiday or short break abroad in 2026 and one in three (32%) ‘very likely’.

A second YouGov study in December, for consumer publisher Immediate Media and shared with Travel Weekly, appears to underline the earlier research.

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It found three out of five UK adults (59%) planning an overseas or domestic holiday of six or more nights this year, with one in four (26%) intending to spend more than in 2025 and 56% saying they would spend about the same.

Three out of four of those planning a longer holiday (73%) said they would spend more than £500 per person – including on food, drink and excursions as well as travel and accommodation – with half (51%) saying they would spend more than £1,000, 24% above £2,000 and 7% more than £3,000 per person.

Two-thirds (66%) of UK adults reported planning at least one short break of up to five nights overseas or in the UK, with 43% planning two or more breaks and 21% three or more, with almost one in five (18%) saying they would spend more this year.

YouGov’s research for Travel Weekly explored the climate’s impact on holiday choices, unsurprisingly finding that four out of five likely overseas holidaymakers (83%) consider the destination temperature and time of year when planning to travel, and two out of five (38%) do so ‘a great deal’.

However, two in three (65%) said they would prefer to avoid the hottest time of year on holiday, with only 12% preferring the hottest time and 32% ‘not bothered’. 

Almost one in three (31%) said a heatwave had impacted an overseas holiday of theirs, and 8% reported an overseas holiday had been affected by a wildfire.

This could be why the research found almost half (47%) of parents were ‘likely’ to take their children out of school for an overseas holiday to avoid the hottest weather, and 17% said they were ‘very likely’ to do so.

An even higher proportion of parents (30%) said they would be ‘very likely’ to take children out of school for an overseas holiday to avoid higher prices.

In all, three in five prospective holidaymakers (58%) reported they had experienced ‘extreme weather’ at some time and 20% had done so ‘a great deal’.

The December YouGov research was conducted on December 9-12 among 2,087 UK adults.

The YouGov research for Travel Weekly was conducted in October among 1,817 UK adults.