News

March bookings for summer up 6%, GfK figures reveal

Bookings for overseas holidays this summer jumped 6% in March compared with last year, according to the latest data.

Market analyst GfK also reported increased revenues of 9% in March.

However, a 7% fall in bookings made on the high street during the month contrasted with 15% growth via web and call centres.

Overall, season-to-date bookings for summer were up 5%.

Just over half the growth in March was in family bookings, with all-inclusive bookings “the primary driver”.

GfK senior client insight director David Hope said: “There is clear trading down, with 14-night holidays in decline for the month and seven-night holidays in double-digit growth for families.”

The UAE was among the top‑five destinations for growth in March along with Turkey, Greece, Egypt and Cyprus. Mainland Spain replaced the UAE in the top-five for growth in the season to date.

Thomas Cook this week reported package bookings to Turkey up 84% year on year, fuelled by “low prices and quality all-inclusive hotels”, while Egypt bookings increased by 89%.

Travelzoo also reported rising interest in what it called the “troubled trio” of countries: Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia.

The deals publisher saw searches increase by 43% for both Egypt and Turkey and 133% for Tunisia.

Gary Lewis, chief executive of The Travel Network Group, said the GfK numbers reflected the strong demand its members are seeing and their high levels of confidence, including those on the high street.

He said he expected to see a strong lates market this year due to Turkey’s revival.

Share article

View Comments

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.