The Advantage Travel Partnership, Britain’s largest consortium of independent travel agents, has reported an exceptional end to the year, with an impressive surge in bookings and revenue growth across both the festive period and for 2025 bookings.
Top Destinations for 2024 Christmas Travel
Bookings overall for the Christmas period are seeing a rise of 12% over 2024, with The Canary Islands dominating bookings for the festive period and Tenerife, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria taking the top three spots. This is followed by the ever-popular Benidorm, proving that travellers are continuing to favour sun and beach holidays to escape the gloomy UK weather this winter.
While Europe remains a strong favourite, long-haul travel continues to show robust performance. In terms of mid- and long-haul destinations, the USA, Dubai and Thailand are emerging as the most sought-after locations for travellers this season. Long-haul bookings have proven resilient throughout 2024, even in the face of economic uncertainty. This enduring demand for long-haul travel reflects the fact that travellers are looking for richer cultural, immersive experiences and a sense of adventure that can be offered by for far flung destinations. Long-haul destinations also remain popular as they can cater to a diverse range of budgets, from luxury holidays to more affordable options. For example, Dubai continues to attract both those looking for luxury as well as families seeking family-friendly resorts, shopping and entertainment. Thailand, with its varied options from budget backpacking to luxury resorts, offers an appealing blend of affordability and exotic appeal.
City breaks are also continuing to be a popular trend, with strong sales of the more established favourite city break destinations for this time of the year, including Budapest and Prague, and also some lesser-known city break destinations such as Porto and Gdansk, which offer exceptional value to travel to and when you are there.
The most common trip length remained at eight nights, consistent with last year’s trend. All-inclusive packages were the dominant choice for travellers, accounting for around 50% of bookings and seeing significant growth. This aligns with consumer desires to manage their budgets during the festive period while enjoying peace of mind on a hassle-free, all-inclusive holiday.
Looking Ahead to 2025: A Positive Start to the Year
Looking ahead to 2025, The Advantage Travel Partnership is tracking ahead of last year by 15% in bookings so far. As expected, summer holidays are leading the way, with summer bookings accounting for 55% of all reservations. The average duration for these trips is 10 nights, the same as at this time in 2024.
Destinations for 2025 mirror many of the trends seen this year, with Tenerife, Majorca and Costa Blanca holding the top three spots for European getaways. Long-haul travel is seeing continued interest, with the USA, the Caribbean and Thailand topping the list for international destinations.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of The Advantage Travel Partnership said: “We’ve had a really strong performance throughout 2024 and it’s great that we’re ending the year on a high. The strength of trading throughout 2024 reflects the resilience of both our travel agent partners and the broader travel sector. The appetite for travel continues to grow as consumers seek both value and experience, and we’re excited to see this momentum continue into 2025.
“Our agent partners across the UK also continue to see new customers as people look to book their travel via a travel agent, not only to get access to great deals but also for peace of mind when travelling.
“As the UK travel industry now enters one of the year’s peak booking periods, when approximately 60% of Brits book a family summer package holiday by the end of February, our travel agency partners are gearing up for a busy period. Across our national network of travel agency partners, we are supporting them with a major marketing campaign: That Just Booked Feeling, with offers, promotions, and incentives to encourage early bookings.”