News
Wet summer 'prompted rise in winter bookings'
07 January 2008
A substantial increase in holiday bookings occurred for the winter of 2007-08 and can be attributed to the UK's rainy summer last year, according to the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta).
Sean Tipton, spokesperson for the group, said that the number of people taking holidays over the winter is expected to reach 3.5m, compared to 3m last year.
While traveller numbers tend to rise every year, Mr Tipton claimed that this increase is particularly sharp.
'The main reason that holiday bookings rose quite substantially over Christmas and new year was because of the appalling weather we had over the summer,' he added.
'What that meant was that, either some people hadn't booked a trip away at all and went through three months of solid rain, or if they tried to book at the last minute…they weren't all of them able to get away because everything was sold out.'
The winter holiday market is dominated by two groups of travellers, according to the Abta spokesperson – one group looking for winter sun and the other searching for guaranteed snow.
Opodo cheap flights and hotels - let the journey begin!
© Adfero Ltd
Sean Tipton, spokesperson for the group, said that the number of people taking holidays over the winter is expected to reach 3.5m, compared to 3m last year.
While traveller numbers tend to rise every year, Mr Tipton claimed that this increase is particularly sharp.
'The main reason that holiday bookings rose quite substantially over Christmas and new year was because of the appalling weather we had over the summer,' he added.
'What that meant was that, either some people hadn't booked a trip away at all and went through three months of solid rain, or if they tried to book at the last minute…they weren't all of them able to get away because everything was sold out.'
The winter holiday market is dominated by two groups of travellers, according to the Abta spokesperson – one group looking for winter sun and the other searching for guaranteed snow.
Opodo cheap flights and hotels - let the journey begin!
© Adfero Ltd
 |  |
Related stories
01 December 2008
- Airlines extending services for Thailand passengers >
28 November 2008
- Strike could hit Eurostar services >
27 November 2008
- FCO advises against travel to Mumbai >
26 November 2008
- Currency 'a major factor' in holiday decisions >
25 November 2008
- Travel industry slams APD increase >
14 November 2008
- Travellers urged to budget for all costs >
- Airlines extending services for Thailand passengers >
28 November 2008
- Strike could hit Eurostar services >
27 November 2008
- FCO advises against travel to Mumbai >
26 November 2008
- Currency 'a major factor' in holiday decisions >
25 November 2008
- Travel industry slams APD increase >
14 November 2008
- Travellers urged to budget for all costs >
