Sunshine Saturday: Holiday bookings soar as Brits rush to get best deal amid cost-of-living squeeze

Holiday bookings are set to skyrocket this Saturday as thousands of Brits rush to get the best deal amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Figures published today by tour operator trade body ABTA show 61 per cent of people are planning to have a holiday abroad this year.

Of those, 31 per cent say they want to book earlier than normal to get cheaper rates.

“The start of the year usually brings lots of enthusiasm for booking holidays and we know many people will be really looking forward to getting away in 2023,” said ABTA’s chief executive Mark Tanzer. 

Dubbed ‘Sunshine Saturday’ by the UK travel sector – the first Saturday after the Christmas break – it is usually the most popular day for holiday bookings. 

This year’s ‘Sunshine Saturday’ will be the busiest in the last three years as travellers capitalise on the lack of Covid travel restrictions. 

“People’s appetite for holiday taking has remained remarkably resilient despite the ongoing pressure on people’s finances, though there’s definitely a strong focus on securing great value for money,” Tanzer added. 

The data comes as Ryanair and Wizz Air have reported a significant uptick in passenger numbers in a sign that low-cost carriers are well-equipped to face the recession storm.