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Consumers ‘held off’ spending on longer holidays

People spent less on longer duration holidays in the second quarter of the year as they waited for late deals or planned shorter breaks.

The findings appear in the latest leisure consumer report compiled by Deloitte, based on a poll of more than 3,000 adults in June.

More consumers reported spending on both short breaks and long holidays in the period, up three and four percentage points, respectively, from the previous quarter.

However, compared to last year, consumers say they are spending less on longer holidays meaning some may have delayed their bookings until now or opted for shorter trips, according to the report.

Political and economic uncertainty continues to create caution in some consumers, with a third (32%) expecting to reduce their overall leisure spend in the next six months.

Leisure outlay in the three months grew by just one per cent over the same period last year.

Eight out of 11 leisure categories saw quarter-on-quarter spending either up or stable, with consumers taking more short breaks as well as affordable, everyday treats.

But a third (32%) of consumers intend to spend less on leisure for the remainder of 2019.

Deloitte hospitality and leisure partner Simon Oaten said: “Despite continued Brexit uncertainty and its impact on holidaymakers’ spending money, consumers still expect to pack up their bags and enjoy a summer holiday this year.

“For today’s consumer, experience is everything. A generation of social media-savvy consumers also continue to seek out new travel experiences to share with their online audience, and are piqued by new flight route offerings and off-the-beaten-track locations.”

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