Key facts
- Summer bookings for UK hotels and holiday parks have seen a significant increase compared to the previous year.
- Fears of flight cancellations, long delays at EU borders, and geopolitical instability are driving Britons to book domestic holidays.
- A new EU entry-exit system (EES) is contributing to long queues at European airports.
- Holiday park operator Lovat Parks reported a 35% jump in summer bookings.
- Bookings for UK holiday accommodation near water, such as lakes and seaside towns, are up 12%.
- Searches for domestic summer trips by UK travellers on Booking.com increased by 10%.
Summer bookings for UK hotels and holiday parks have surged compared to last year, as Britons increasingly opt for domestic holidays due to fears of flight cancellations, long delays at European borders, and geopolitical instability.
Concerns over the new EU entry-exit system (EES) are leading to hours-long queues at major continental airports, with some airlines reporting flights leaving half-full. This, coupled with rising jet fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict, is making overseas travel less appealing.
Raoul Fraser, founder of Lovat Parks, noted a 35% increase in summer bookings, attributing it to favourable weather expectations and a reluctance to travel to regions east of Southern Europe. He also cited the EES as a deterrent for potential holidaymakers.
Matthew Price, CEO of Awaze, reported a "stampede" for UK holiday accommodation near water, with bookings for lakeside and riverside properties up 12%. Seaside towns are also proving popular.
Online searches for domestic summer trips by UK travellers on Booking.com are up 10%, with Liverpool, Ingoldmells, and London showing the largest increases in interest. Waitrose anticipates a record staycation summer, projecting significant sales growth in popular holiday destinations.
Travel analyst Sinead O’Connor stated that while overseas trips remain more popular, staycation plans have risen by 5%, with 39% of consumers deterred from European travel by the EES. Abta found that 38% of potential holidaymakers have delayed booking decisions due to ongoing headlines about travel disruptions.