Bad weather prompts booking flurry, survey says

Tour operators getting the collywobbles about the VAT rise and people cutting back should take comfort from a new survey revealing more than 13 million people will make a booking before the end of February, thanks to adverse weather.

Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance conducted research which showed that half of them want to travel in Europe and 6% will go to America. Despite the anticipated death of the staycation, 29% plan to holiday in Britain.

And with an anticipated spend of Â£11 billion on such bookings, says Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance, spending is up 49% on last year. This is all the more startling as the typical amount spent on a holiday is down 1% on last year.

Sainsburyâ€™s travel insurance manager Scott Gorman said: â€œA lot of people will be fed up with the winter snow and travel delays or cancellations they have had to endure in 2010, particularly over Christmas. This may lead to a significant increase in people intending to book a holiday to give them something to look forward to in the New Year.â€

by Dinah Hatch