Travel column with Katie Butler of Total Travel: More Yorkshire holidaymakers are taking the chance by leaving it late
If you have called in to see us recently thinking, “Any chance you can get us away next week?”, you are certainly not alone.
In fact, it seems more people than ever are throwing caution to the wind and booking holidays at the last minute. New figures show that one in five British holidaymakers now book within just two weeks of travelling, while more than 40 per cent make their booking within four weeks of departure.
It is easy to understand why. The British summer has for the last few week been kind (maybe a little too kind), and when the sun starts belting down in West Yorkshire, the thought of swapping Heckmondwike, Ossett or Brighouse for a sunbed and pool in the Canaries suddenly becomes very appealing. Add in some excellent late deals from the tour operators, and plenty of people are deciding there is no point waiting.
Families still tend to plan further ahead because of school holidays and budgeting, while couples are much more likely to book on impulse. It is certainly something we have noticed locally too.
Over recent weeks we've been helping plenty of customers who have simply decided they fancy a week in the sun rather than spending another weekend checking the weather forecast and trying to keep cool whilst going about their daily schedule.
Looking further ahead, there is some exciting news for our many cruise lovers. Construction has now started on a brand-new cruise terminal in St Kitts, one of the Caribbean's most picturesque islands. From late 2027, P&O Cruises' flagship ships Iona and Arvia will begin Caribbean fly-cruises that both start and finish there.
Caribbean cruises usually involve flying to Barbados, but adding St Kitts opens up another gateway to the region. The investment also shows just how popular Caribbean cruising continues to be.
Meanwhile, escorted touring holidays across Europe are enjoying something of a revival. More people are looking beyond the traditional beach holiday in favour of seeing several destinations in one trip, without having to worry about organising transport or accommodation themselves.
New tours launching for 2027 by Newmarket Holidays include city breaks in Budapest, cultural journeys through Romania, combined trips taking in Prague, Dresden and the famous Colditz Castle, as well as holidays exploring Salzburg and the Austrian Alps.
For many, particularly those who enjoy history, scenery and local culture, escorted tours take all the stress out of travelling while still offering plenty of free time to explore.
One small change worth mentioning for anyone planning a long-haul holiday with TUI from November onwards is that free alcoholic drinks in economy will become more limited. Passengers will still receive a complimentary beer or wine with their main meal, but any additional alcoholic drinks will need to be purchased. Soft drinks remain free throughout the flight, and premium economy customers won't notice any change.
Finally, a quick look at what you guys have been booking over the past week. August has now become the most popular departure month, accounting for 16 per cent of all bookings, closely followed by September with 14 per cent, while July remains busy with 12 per cent.
Last-minute holidays continue to dominate, making up an impressive 43 per cent of all bookings. The most popular destinations were Majorca in first place, Antalya on Turkey's Mediterranean coast in second, and Tenerife taking third spot.