The industry has been tipped for a strong turn-of-year peaks period with clarity over Brexit and Thomas Cook customers returning to the market.
A return to the high street has been predicted, while deposits as low as £49 will be important for OTAs, according to travel industry veterans Ian Brooks and Steve Endacott.
The pair outlined their forecasts for 2020 in their second Travel Industry Pubcast.
Former Airtours boss Endacott said he was feeling more positive about the January peaks period for the mainstream beach market.
“The election happening in December will mean we should have a clear view with what’s happening with Brexit. We should have a majority government.
“I’m hoping that the pound strengthens, we also get the TC [Thomas Cook] customers who cancelled at the end of last summer and lastly it wasn’t a great summer, unlike the previous year when people waited [to book].
“Hopefully they will go ‘You know what, I want my holiday this year, I want certainty, I’ll book it now’. You never know, we could get lucky.”
He added: “Those players who have the best hotels will sell early.”
A large amount of TV advertising by travel companies is expected over the Christmas period, particularly by Tui and Jet2 as they look to drive early sales following major hikes in capacity for summer 2020.
OTAs are also likely to turn to TV ads as they move to capture more sales.
Pubcast: Predictions for 2020