Last-minute breaks 'popular with families'

Last-minute holidays are becoming increasingly appealing to families as a result of the recession and other potential causes of concern such as the swine flu outbreak, according to a new survey.

Tesco Travel Money commissioned a poll of more than 2,000 British adults and found that two in five (39 per cent) parents with children of school age have not yet booked a summer break.

Over a third (36 per cent) said they are waiting to see how their finances fare before booking a holiday, while 47 per cent of those who are planning to book at the last minute are doing so to bag a bargain.

A fifth (19 per cent) of families have already seen their travel plans disrupted by the swine flu outbreak or are waiting to see how the situation develops before going away, according to the Tesco Travel Money survey.

"In the current climate, the luxury of booking a summer holiday has not been a priority for many parents. In particular, booking in advance is not a possibility," a spokesperson for the company said.

"Many people are waiting to see if their finances can stretch to a break this year and families are even going to the extremes of taking their children out of school so they can afford the holiday they need. This coupled with the perceived threat of swine flu, taking last-minute holidays is set to be a big trend this summer."

The number of travellers setting off on last-minute holidays abroad to escape the British weather has led Bristol Airport to expect its busiest period of the year so far over the coming weeks.

Posted by Mike, 13 August 2009 14:02

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