- Travel trade enjoys bumper ‘Sunshine Saturday’ as Britons e-book journeys overseas
- Cruises are additionally proving highly regarded, significantly from Southampton and Miami
Sun-starved Britons are reserving holidays to Tenerife, Mallorca and Turkey with journey brokers reporting a surge in curiosity on ‘Sunshine Saturday’ final weekend.
Long-haul locations reminiscent of Canada, Dubai and Barbados are additionally among the many prime locations booked in current days as households look to safe faculty vacation dates.
The moniker ‘Sunshine Saturday’ is given to the primary Saturday of January by the journey trade, with one agency saying it loved its largest ever day of gross sales on January 6.
Barrhead Travel additionally mentioned bookings had been up by 20 per cent final week in contrast with 2023 – with cruise journey additionally fashionable, significantly from Southampton and Miami.
The Glasgow-based firm advised the way it was anticipating ‘excessive demand’ this month, claiming ‘telephones have been ringing continuous and footfall in retailer has been excessive’.
Britons are looking for sunshine as forecasters warned Arctic air surging southwards will carry ‘substantial’ quantities of snow and sub-zero temperatures.
It comes as London Heathrow Airport revealed passenger numbers grew by 29 per cent final yr to hit 79.2 million – together with 6.7million in its busiest ever December.
Barrhead Travel says Tenerife, Mallorca, Turkey, Canada, Dubai and Barbados are all fashionable
Tenerife is among the many hotspots for Britons reserving holidays. Playa de Las Teresitas is pictured
Mallorca is one other fashionable place for Britons to go on vacation. Porte de Soller is pictured
Turkey can also be mentioned to be highly regarded with British vacationers in the meanwhile. Bodrum is pictured
Barrhead Travel boss Jacqueline Dobson mentioned: ‘We’re just one week into January however it’s clear that folks have gotten one factor on their thoughts this yr – reserving holidays.
‘Since we returned on January 2, telephones have been ringing continuous and footfall in-store has been excessive. I’m delighted to report that our first week has additionally seen a brand new record-breaking gross sales day with Sunshine Saturday outperforming all our file days final yr. I at all times suppose the beginning of the yr units the tone for what to anticipate over the approaching 12 months.
‘Despite ongoing client spending pressures, it’s obvious that holidays will stay a precedence for many. People are planning nicely forward and making the most of the January gross sales in addition to low deposit and pay-monthly choices.’
It comes as Heathrow mentioned passenger numbers had soared, and the market with the largest improve in passenger numbers throughout the yr as an entire was Asia/Pacific, up 76 per cent in contrast with 2022. This was pushed by a lifting of Covid-19 journey restrictions within the area.
Some 1.4 million tonnes of cargo was moved by way of the airport in 2023, up 2 per cent on the earlier yr.
Heathrow boss Thomas Woldbye mentioned: ‘As we transfer into the brand new yr, I wish to prolong my honest because of all our staff, Heathrow colleagues and companions for his or her exhausting and profitable work over the busy festive interval, which went rather well when it comes to service and operations.
‘By ending 2023 on a excessive, a powerful basis is laid for 2024 throughout which Heathrow will proceed to develop and to facilitate the UK’s potential for international development.’
It comes because the Met Office expects a ‘resurgence in actually chilly climate by way of the weekend’ in Britain after the mercury fell to -5C (23F) in Hampshire this morning.
Chilly and largely dry situations will proceed this week, with the UK at the moment beneath the affect of excessive stress which is bringing the colder than common climate.
While flooding distress continues for a lot of areas with almost 200 alerts or warnings in place, there was little rain in current days following a really moist begin to January.
A motorist make their method by way of County Durham within the snow at Killhope yesterday
A view over Wrotham in Kent on Tuesday as snow and ice stay following Monday’s snowfall
A lady walks her canine by way of the St Peter & St Paul’s churchyard at Ash in Kent on Monday
Areas of the south will stay very chilly over the approaching days, however the Met Office mentioned a northerly airflow from Sunday will improve the probabilities of ‘wintry hazards’.
An amber chilly well being alert for the North West of England, the Midlands, the South West and South East was in place till midday tomorrow however might be prolonged.
The UK Health Security Agency alert warns well being providers of elevated demand – and advises folks to regulate aged and weak associates and neighbours.
The charity Age UK mentioned the ‘Big Freeze is occurring on the worst potential time for older folks’ given the flooding, price of dwelling disaster and stress on the NHS.