As heatwaves, airfare prices and geopolitical tensions continue to bring a sense of uncertainty to summer travel plans, some Britons are embracing last-minute holiday bookings – often just a day or two before their trip.
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According to new data from online travel agent loveholidays, British travellers are eyeing “spur-of-the-moment escapes” this summer, with bookings for next-day holidays increasing by 26% year-on-year.
Bookings made within two days of departure have also risen by 19%, the data revealed, while holidays booked within three days of travel are up 15% compared to last year.
Despite the short notice booking trend, the choice of holiday destinations remain “tried and tested”, said loveholidays.
Mallorca, Tenerife, Antalya, Costa Blanca and Ibiza are the five most popular choices for next-day departures, with each offering “reliable sunshine, short flight times and frequent flights from UK airports”.
Another priority is convenience, with all inclusive holidays accounting for 41% of bookings departing the following day, as Brits look for “hassle-free breaks that require little planning once they've arrived”.
"The traditional booking window is evolving, and the idea that you should have your summer holiday booked months in advance is becoming less of a rule than it once was,” said Al Murray, Chief Marketing and Supply Officer at loveholidays.
“More holidaymakers are swapping months of planning for spontaneous getaways, indicating a willingness to make quick decisions when the right combination of price, availability and time off comes together.
“Interestingly, that spontaneity of booking doesn’t translate into riskier choices. Holidaymakers are still gravitating towards familiar favourites, suggesting Brits are becoming more impulsive about when they book, but not necessarily where.”
Top destinations for last-minute departures
The top five destinations for last-minute departures, according to the loveholidays data:
- 1. Mallorca, Balearic Islands
- 2. Antalya, Türkiye
- 3. Costa Blanca, Spain
- 4. Tenerife, Canary Islands
- 5. Ibiza, Balearic Islands