Booking early 'could save £1,000'

Holidaymakers who reserve their 2009 summer holidays now could save themselves around £1,000, according to research by Which? Holiday.

The consumer magazine focused its year-long study on three family holidays in Majorca in July 2008 and found that the cheapest deals were available in August and September 2007.

Which? Holiday found that two of the holiday packages were unavailable in May 2008 and all three had been taken off the market by June, suggesting that waiting until the last minute may not be the best idea.

The study also looked at trips to Cancun in Mexico in July 2008 and found that savings of more than £700 were available in February or March compared to last-minute prices.

Lorna Cowan, editor of Which? Holiday, said: "Our research shows that booking at the right time can save you a small fortune, but confusingly the 'right time' isn't the same for every type of holiday.

"If you can be flexible with your destination and dates, it may be worth waiting to see what deals come up. But, for families wanting to get away next summer with specific destinations in mind, we recommend booking in the next month or so to avoid disappointment when it comes to availability and cost."

A recent study carried out by TNS for Travel Weekly found that some five million Brits are planning to make their bookings for summer 2009 holidays in the next few months.

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