HOLIDAY BOOKINGS:THREE OUT OF FOUR over-40s who travelled last year with the Travel Department tour company intend to take a holiday this year. Consumers are budgeting more, and half are cutting back on other areas so they can afford to travel, according to a survey for the company by Octave OC.
One in four travellers intends to holiday in Ireland this year, rather than go overseas; 19 per cent haven’t decided yet whether to replace an overseas break with a home break.
Citybreaks are the most popular type of holiday this year, with two-thirds of people claiming they intend to book such a trip in the next 12 months.
Nearly 40 per cent intend to take a sun or beach holiday, 36 per cent plan to sightsee in Europe and 20 per cent have chosen a cruise. Nine per cent plan to take a walking holiday.
The survey was conducted between February 12th and March 23rd and included an online customer survey (with 427 respondents), a customer telephone survey (59) and non-customer survey (20).
Stephen Glavin of the Travel Department said: “Irish people really enjoy their travel, and despite the current economic problems they will try to stick to their usual holiday plans. Generally, people view holidays as a necessity rather than a luxury, and also place a strong emotional attachment to planning and taking holidays.”
Wine, walking, rail and garden holidays spread among destinations worldwide are also increasingly popular, he said.