Nearly half (44%) of consumers think AI has the potential to improve their holiday planning experience, rising to 68% of 25-34s. Many travel companies have released AI tools in the last few years to assist in the holiday planning process, including Booking.com, TUI and Marriott Bonvoy. Advancements in AI technology will further appeal to travellers seeking more complex itineraries such as multi-stop trips and group travel bookings.
Looking ahead to October 2024 to February 2025, there is a decline in interest for rural or countryside holidays compared to the previous year. Conversely, there is rising demand for snow sports holidays, driven mainly by younger travellers. Additionally, health and wellness holidays are predicted to gain popularity as city dwellers seek a break from hectic, urban environments.
Travel brands have various opportunities to promote local tourism. By offering discounts to local residents, collaborating with local businesses, and offering convenient public transport links, brands can encourage more people to explore local attractions. Families with young children show a strong interest in exploring local attractions, with 86% of parents with children aged 4 and under eager to explore attractions closer to home. This presents an opportunity for travel brands to create family-friendly packages and promotions that cater to the needs of parents with young children.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Holiday destinations and types of holidays taken between April – September 2024
- Holiday preferences vary widely across different regions, reflecting diverse travel interests.
- European holidays are set to remain a popular choice for travellers seeking a Winter break
- A large proportion of consumers are eager to take closer to home holidays – particularly those with young children
- There is low awareness of ETIAS, so brands will need to work closely with border control staff to ensure a smooth rollout when it eventually comes around
Trends indicate a growing interest in experiential tourism, with a rise in demand for lesser-known and off-the-beaten-track destinations.
Jennie Bryans, Senior Travel & Leisure Analyst
Market Definitions
This Report examines the habits and attitudes of British adults aged 16 or over towards holiday-taking in the UK and abroad. For the purposes of this Report, Mintel defined a holiday as a stay of at least one night that is primarily for leisure purposes. Business trips and visiting friends or relatives are not included.
This is a bi-annual series, with the next edition due out in May 2025.
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Key takeaways
- Opportunities for the travel industry
- Despite a slight decline, holidays remain a non-negotiable for many
- Domestic holiday intentions down by 6 percentage points
- Graph 1: holidays planned between October and March, 2023/24 and 2024/25
- What brands can do to promote closer to home tourism
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Holidays taken in the last six months
- Slight decline in travel during the 2024 Summer season
- Graph 2: destinations visited between April and September, 2023 and 2024
- Long-haul holidays continue to appeal
- Graph 3: destinations visited between April and September, 2023 and 2024
- Spain remains most popular European destination amid summer of tourism protests
- Beach holidays and city breaks remain on top
- Graph 4: types of holiday taken between April and September, 2023 and 2024
- Various regions renowned for differing types of holidays
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Holidays planned for the next six months
- Intentions to head away in Winter down by 6 percentage points
- Graph 5: holidays planned between October and March, 2023/24 and 2024/25
- European breaks remain a popular choice for travellers
- Graph 6: holidays planned between October and March, 2023/24 and 2024/25
- Domestic holiday intentions are down by 6 percentage points
- Decline in interest in rural or countryside breaks away
- Graph 7: types of holiday between October and March, 2023/24 and 2024/25
- Young travellers eager to hit the slopes
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Holidaying behaviours and intentions
- Over three quarters of travellers interested in closer to home tourism
- Graph 8: holidaying behaviours and intentions, 2024
- What brands can do to promote closer-to-home tourism
- Younger travellers are more eager to explore new destinations
- Brands can use social media to showcase lesser-known destinations
- Over half of holidaymakers say they would pay more to stay in unique accommodation
- Younger travellers are more likely to embrace the potential of AI
- How brands are using AI to assist with holiday planning
- Four in 10 say health and wellness holidays appeal more now than before the pandemic
- Travel loyalty programs currently have low uptake
- Brands that British Airways customers are more likely to use compared to the average UK consumer
- A quarter of Brits are currently aware of ETIAS
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Appendix
- Market definition
- Consumer research methodology
- Snoop SpendMapper methodology
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