Brits are set to finalise their summer holiday plans this weekend and take to the web to book their breaks in what is being called “Sunshine Sunday”.
Tour operators and travel firms are gearing up for one of the biggest weekends of the year in terms of holiday bookings.
Tens of thousands of holidaymakers are expected to book their breaks this weekend, and based on booking patterns over the past three years, holiday companies are expecting bookings to peak on Sunday.
With the fun of Christmas and New Year well and truly over, and the grim prospect of a return to work, it’s little wonder that Sunshine Sunday has gained momentum as Brits try to stave off the January blues.
Thomson, one of the biggest travel companies in Europe, is anticipating a whopping two million online searches on Sunday, and has pinpointed 8:45pm as the peak.
“With Christmas firmly out of the way many people want a holiday in the sunshine to look forward to,” said a Thomson spokesman.
“Over the last few years we’ve seen a trend towards booking holidays earlier and with record bookings over Christmas we’re expecting the rush to continue.”
Thomson expects traditional Mediterranean favourites to once again prove popular this summer, with Greece and Majorca at the top of Brits’ getaway lists along with the Canary Islands.
For holidays further afield, the travel firm expects Mexico, Thailand and Jamaica to be the subject of a great deal of experience.
While most travel companies are bracing themselves for a busy weekend, British Airways expects Monday to be its busiest day.
The airline is preparing for something of a “Mega Monday”, with bookings to Florida, Dubai, Barbados and St Lucia all expected to be high.
“We anticipate a bumper booking day next Monday, with the return to work and start of a new school term, signalling the need for families to have sunnier climes to look forward to,” said Claire Bentley, managing director of British Airways Holidays.
