As many as 68% of people intend to take a holiday abroad this year and more than half (53%) are seeking a domestic break, new Abta research reveals.
The study, released ahead of Sunshine Saturday, found that 48% are wishing to head to a city or resort they have not been to before and 45% are looking to explore a different country entirely.
The travel association also issued a 10 ‘destinations to watch’ list selected by experts, reflecting customers’ sentiment and trends in the market:
- Belize
- Denmark
- Hokkaido, Japan
- Hungary
- The Islands of the Cote d’Azur, France
- Le Marche, Italy
- Malawi
- Oviedo and more, Spain
- Quebec, Canada
- Tasmania, Australia
Abta is backing members during the peak booking period through a multi-channel marketing campaign and PR drive, following an initial Travel with Confidence push in November.
Social media advertising on Facebook and Instagram has been running since Boxing Day and will continue until the end of February.
TikTok advertising is starting in the first week of January, sitting alongside collaborations with influencers who will share content on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
A second set of radio adverts will air across Heart Digital Radio in mid-January, encouraging people to look for the Abta logo and book with a member.
Communications director Graeme Buck said: “We know how important the peak booking period is for our members and we want to do all we can to support them.
“The Travel with Confidence campaign is designed with our members and their customers at the heart – offering holiday inspiration and the incentive to book with an Abta member, for that all important peace of mind when travelling.
“Last year’s campaign reached a wider audience then ever, and we hope to build on that even more.”
He added: “We’re pleased to once again launch our Destinations to Watch report, as a way to get people thinking and talking about the trips they may want to take this year.
“It also serves a wider purpose to help people think beyond their favourite places, and supports the aim of many destinations to spread tourism across their countries.”