European holiday destinations are expected to get even more popular this year as Brits lean towards closer-to-home trips amid the Middle East conflict.
The Iran-US war has raised concerns among holidaymakers who have trips booked to the region or have travel plans to Asia, which often involves a stopover in a Gulf country.
International flights were thrown into chaos throughout March as airlines halted flights and airspaces closed, with Middle East countries hit by airstrikes carried out by the US, Israel and Iran.
While a conditional ceasefire is currently in place, the ever-evolving situation appears to have caused British holidaymakers to turn towards “reliable”, familiar destinations closer to home.
It is too early to tell the full impact of the conflict on travel, but travel companies have seen an increase in interest in European holiday destinations compared to last year.
“Travel continues to show its resilience,” says booking agent Loveholidays’ CEO Donat Rétif . “We know that even in periods of uncertainty, holidaymakers aren’t willing to forgo their time away – instead, they adapt their choices.”
Spain and other European favourites
Spain, which is already the most popular destination visited by Brits according to the most recent ONS statistics, is set to see a greater increase in tourism.
Holiday price comparison website TravelSupermarket said searches for Mallorca have gone up by 168 per cent during the first three weeks of March compared to the previous three weeks, showing a return to “reliable” favourite destinations among Brits.
On the Beach adds that in the last month it has seen a 36 per cent increase on average in demand for Costa Blanca, Costa Brava and Costa Dorada, compared to last year.
Loveholidays’ CEO Donat Rétif said that mainland Spain, the Canary Islands, the Greek Islands and the Balearic Islands have each seen an increase in bookings share in recent weeks compared to the same period last year, “as customers gravitate towards familiar favourites”.
He explained that while European destinations have always been popular, “many have seen an even greater increase in demand in recent weeks compared to last year”.
Lastminute.com has drawn similar conclusions from search data, with travellers showing a greater focus on “perceived safer” destinations in Western and Southern Europe, particularly the Canary and Balearic Islands.
Lastminute.com’s early April data suggests that customers are taking longer to book holidays, which they describe as a “wait and see” approach over cancelling plans altogether.
A spokesperson claimed that there has not been a drop in appetite for travel, “but a change in how people approach it”.
“For example, the shift to Spain and the pivot to Portugal as preferred destinations. Travellers may take more time, weigh options carefully, and look for reassurance as well as value,” they said.
Yvonne Moynihan, the UK managing director of budget airline Wizz Air, said it’s still early to draw definitive conclusions, but some shifts in booking behaviour in recent weeks show that British travellers currently have a preference for destinations closer to home.
She said that they are also seeing a particularly strong demand for Spain, including Barcelona, Madrid, Seville and Valencia.
“As we prepare for the busy summer season, what’s clear is that Brits are placing greater emphasis on value, familiarity and flexibility when choosing where to travel,” she added.
Travelsupermarket and Lastminute.com have also noticed a huge increase in interest in Sardinia, with the former stating that the Italian island has been leading trending rankings with searches up by 236 per cent.
Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt
Many travel companies have also noted the stability of interest in holidays to Turkey, Egypt and Cyprus, countries that the UK’s Foreign Office said are safe to visit, but have also been given a “regional risk” warning statement by the department.
TravelSupermarket said that in Turkey Bodrum’s search share is up 138 per cent, while Wizz Air says there’s a sustained interest in Turkey and Egypt.
Loveholidays said it is “beginning to see a strong recovery in bookings for Turkey and Cyprus, which remain affordable options for holidaymakers wanting to maximise their budgets”.
Lastminute.com shared similar insight: “Some destinations like Turkey and Egypt were perceived as risky, even if not directly impacted, but demand for these destinations is recovering.”
Customers booking through On the Beach in the past few weeks have increased bookings by five per cent to Sharm El Sheikh compared to last year, while Tunisia has seen a 17 per cent rise.
Long haul
An increase in interest in Mediterranean holidays does not mean that long-haul destinations are totally ruled out.
The Caribbean is home to a number of trending destinations, including the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and St Lucia, while Hays Travel says it has also seen an increase in customers choosing a cruise holiday.
The travel agent added that long-haul destinations Japan, Australia and South Africa are still selling well, while Tui said that destinations it runs direct flights to from the UK, like Phuket and Goa, are still popular.
Read more: The Iran war has impacted 17,000 Lastminute holidays. Here’s where travellers are going instead
