More people are planning to spend more on their 2016 holidays, with many opting to travel somewhere new, according to research.
ABTA’s Travel Trends Report 2016 says almost a quarter (23%) of respondents expect to spend more this year – up from 20% in 2015.
Almost one in five (18%) will travel to a country they have never been to before – twice the number who said they would travel somewhere new last year.
In addition, another 23% say they will try a new resort or city (even if they have visited the country before) compared to 10% who said this last year.
Perhaps not surprisingly, those with the most disposable incomes are splashing the holiday cash.
Almost four in 10 (39%) people with top jobs (in social grade A1) say they are planning to spend more on holidays in 2016, compared to the average of 23%.
People in social grade B are also more likely than average to spend more next year with 27% stating that they plan to do this.
The report reveals ‘tried and trusted’ Western Mediterranean destinations, in particular Spain, are set for a bumper year with bookings for summer 2016 tracking ahead of previous years as 2015 comes to a close.
However, long-haul holidays are no longer the preserve of the intrepid traveller.
Wider availability of new aircraft, such as Boeing’s Dreamliner and the Airbus A380 is making long-haul travel more attractive, as is the abolition of Air Passenger Duty (APD) bands C and D in April 2015, which is expected to save British holidaymakers £200m a year.
