Agents are remaining positive, with many saying bookings are up, despite caution among some customers driven by the Middle East conflict and concerns over the cost of living.
Last month, TUI Group warned customers were being ‘cautious’, while a new survey reveals 27% of UK adults are not planning to take a holiday in the next 12 months, up from 19% before the Middle East conflict began.
But several agents told Travel Gossip they’ve seen an upturn in bookings and are taking the current uncertainty ‘in their stride’.
The research, carried out on behalf of tax firm RSM UK among 2,000 agents between 23 and 27 April, said 31% of consumers have changed travel plans as a direct result of the current conflict in the Middle East by cancelling the holiday completely, rescheduling or changing the destination. This figure increased to 55% for Gen Z, 46% for millennials and 43% for families.
RSM UK Consumer Markets Senior Analyst Robyn Duffy said: “There is no doubt that consumer confidence has been rocked and that’s directly impacting travel plans for 2026.”
Contrary to the research findings, David McKerry, owner of We Do Travel in Dumbarton, said: “It has picked up and we have done more this month already than in the whole of March – and almost at April’s numbers.”
But he said: “It’s still got some way to go. People are fixing budgets more than ever. A £6,000 budget would probably stretch to £7,000 when you pitched the right hotel. But this month it seems that £6,000 is £6,000 and not a penny more.”
David Gregg, who owns Different Corners Travel in Torquay, said: “We had a fantastic April, mainly due to higher value bookings. Cheap bucket-and-spade deals are down slightly, but on the whole, year-on-year, we’re well ahead.”
Tim Jackson-Thorpe, who runs Heacham Travel in Norfolk, said: “Year-to-date we’re doing much better than I thought we were. You know sometimes when you think it’s quiet, then realise you’re just taking it in your stride?
“We’ve done about a third over what we had at this time last year in terms of passenger numbers and sales value, and greatly improved profit. Whether that starts to plateau, who knows, but yesterday was a crazy busy day.”
Personal Travel Consultant at Blue Bay Travel Carly Cockburn said: “I think it’s been hit and miss, I’ve had some clients change from Middle East to Caribbean but I’ve also had some clients change from a New York holiday to a Hoseasons in Norfolk – I was just grateful to keep the booking to be honest! It is a real mixed bag. I’m taking it in my stride and counting on those last-minute summer bookings coming in.”
Meanwhile, agent Shaun Taylor, who runs Inspire Travel by Shaun in Lincolnshire, said: “There’s not been a lot of concern about aviation fuel from customers.
“March was quiet when it all started. It’s picking up a bit now,” he said: “We’re doing a lot of Spain and Greece. Cyprus is still booking, but probably not as much as before.
“Türkiye and Egypt have definitely dropped off a lot over the last six weeks. Cruise is always popular and continues to do well. We’re starting to see long-haul picking up again – we’ve done Las Vegas, Mongolia, Singapore, Japan – it’s quite a mixed bag.”
Hays Travel Personal Consultant Simon Morgan, based in South Wales, said; “I’ve no idea if the [RSM UK survey] figure is correct, but we have definitely witnessed a reluctance to making short-term financial commitments. I think that most households are looking at fuel, grocery and mortgage rate increases with concern. They all centre around the Iran situation.”
But he said: “I look at this as an opportunity to target that 27% with 2027 and 2028 options at far higher values that can be spread over a longer timeframe. We are actively marketing low deposits and monthly instalments for 2028, with cruises starting at £20pcm – this gives consumers an affordable but critical ‘something to reward themselves’ during a time of austerity.”
Some agents had been worried that last Thursday’s ITV Tonight programme, called ‘Holiday Havoc’, which reported on unrest in the Middle East, rising fuel costs and flight disruption, would put customers off.
One agent, posting on the Travel Gossip Facebook group, said the programme made her ‘blood pressure rise’, while Henbury Travel Managing Director Richard Slater said it ‘put the fear of God up anyone daft enough to watch’.
But Merseyside agency Perfect Getaways, which was featured in the programme, has seen an increase in bookings since the programme.
Assistant Manager Jack Palmer said: “Being featured on the documentary was a massive win for us. It got our name out there and we came across positively. A new customer, who had never heard of us before the show, came in at 9.30am the next day and booked a holiday to Türkiye going next month, for four adults, all-inclusive, for about £500 per person.”
Jack added Türkiye and Cyprus ‘are doing well at the moment price-wise, saying he ‘hadn’t seen [prices] this low since COVID days’.
He said that, once customers are reassured, they are continuing to book, with the agency also seeing an increase in enquiries from new customers.
“If anything, we’re seeing people desperate to get away on holiday,” he added.
