If you can’t decide where to go on holidays this year have peep at what everyone else is booking and see if you get any ideas.
Do you know where you’re going to?
So far this year the Algarve has been our number one destination for sun holidays. This is partly due to the fact that during the summer there are Aer Lingus flights to Faro from Dublin (15 times a week), Cork (7 times a week), Belfast (7 times a week) and Shannon (3 times a week).
In terms of popularity among our customers, the Algarve is followed by holidays to Lanzarote, the Costa del Sol, Majorca and Gran Canaria.
For city breaks, the most popular destinations with our customers have been Rome, Prague, Lisbon, New York and London.
Self-catering Vs. Self-indulgence
This year we’ve seen an increase in the number of holidaymakers going on all-inclusive holidays (up to 10%) and also an increase in the number staying in 4-star and 5-star accommodation (over 50% of our customers). Our most popular hotel is the 4-star Beatriz Playa and Spa in Matagorda, Lanzarote.
It looks like while people have cut back on the frequency and the duration of their holidays (now an average of 8 nights with over 80% staying for 7 nights), they are now more precious about the quality of where they stay.
Also, there are some great value sun holidays with 4-star & 5-star hotels available off peak. A lot of hotels in Europe have invested heavily in their facilities and are prepared to discount during off-peak months to get the business in. If you can travel in June (rather than July or August) you can stay in the lap of luxury for a lot less. Often it’s just €100 more per person per week to upgrade from a 3-star self-catering apartment to a 4-star hotel with breakfast and dinner included.
The increase in all-inclusive holidays could be attributed to the fact that people now want to budget better for their summer sun holidays and want more certainty around the total final cost.
Last minute holidays Vs. Planning ahead
The average price of a holiday booked with us in January was €501 per person (inclusive of flights, transfers, accommodation and checked in baggage). By April, that had risen almost 11% to €555 per person. This is because in January, airlines like Aer Lingus come to the market with their very best fares, and hotels offer very generous early booking discounts. Generally, the closer to departure you book, the higher the price you’ll pay. However as Aer Lingus has added additional flights to Lanzarote and the Algarve for the summer, there is still reasonable short-term availability, although the cost of accommodation will increase through the summer months.
On a similar note, Dara Deering, KBC Bank Ireland’s director of retail banking recently commented on a survey on saving habits saying “the day of the last-minute offer may not be dead but it is clear that Irish people budget for their holiday well ahead of time.”
Average Joes
So in summary, our average customer will spend €500 to €555 per person on their summer holiday (depending on when the book), stay in one of the 4 or 5-star hotels in the Algarve for 7 nights and travel in a party of 2½ people (could be messy).
Hopefully, this quick insight into our customers’ holiday habits will give you some ideas, but as there’s no such thing as an average holidaymaker, you can create your own personal vacation with us on ClickandGo.com.
