The trend towards long-haul bookings is gaining momentum as an increasing number of clients realise they can get more for their money further afield.
Advantage Travel Partnership was one of the first to identify the trend, at the beginning of the year, reporting families were discovering that far-flung destinations can be more cost-effective during school holidays than European alternatives, citing regions such as Thailand and the Far East, where local costs are attractive.
Elegant Resorts has seen a rise in summer interest for Dubai and the Caribbean, and the operator is ‘increasingly seeing clients explore long-haul alternatives for summer’.
Managing Director Gordon McCreadie said: “We have seen clients looking at long-haul as it can offer greater value for money over the same period. Prices can be very high in some destinations in Europe due to demand and clients who are more budget sensitive are looking further afield for more value.
“Booking patterns have been evolving over the past few years but we are seeing quite a shift for 2025.”
He added that clients are also looking at ‘September departures, and a range of new experiences replacing the usual beach holiday’.
“A range of factors come into play, including availability, air fares, extreme weather conditions and overcrowding. We have worked hard at expanding our offering worldwide over the past few months so we can keep on delighting our clients and help them create those special memories,” Gordon added.
Premier Travel Managing Director Paul Waters said: “We are definitely seeing more families choosing to swap their usual European holidays for destinations in the Far East compared to last year.
“There’s a growing appetite for long-haul travel among families looking for something different –particularly destinations like Thailand, Vietnam, and Bali, which offer a mix of cultural experiences, beautiful beaches, and great value for money.”
Paul puts the shift down to clients being more adventurous with their itineraries and wanting to give their children a ‘more enriching tailor-made travel experience’.
“We’re also proactively recommending [sister company] Premier Holidays Far East destinations where we know the value, quality of accommodation, and overall experience can often surpass what’s available in parts of Europe at a similar price point – especially during peak school holiday periods.”
Aspire Travel Head of Travel Clare McVey, said: “More families are travelling to destinations further afield like Mauritius, which is only three hours ahead of the UK, not as hot in the school summer holidays, and clients find it’s not as expensive as they may previously think.”
Clare, who is based in Cambridgeshire, said families are also booking ahead for next Easter and summer to destinations such as Mauritius, the Dominican Republic and Mexico.
Kent-based Go Scoble founder Chris Scoble said Sri Lanka and Mauritius are popular long-haul alternatives to Europe for families because ‘it’s not that much more expensive than the short haul’.
Lincoln-based Travel Chaps is reporting a 20% increase in bookings to Mauritius for 2026.
Co-founder Matt Phillips said: “We’ve swapped a few from Crete to Mauritius for the same price or around £100 more. It helps that Mauritius is an all-round destination with beaches and adventure activities. It’s families booking this year for next year to help spread the costs.”
Pole Travel owner Jill Waite, based in Failsworth, Manchester, said bookings for Thailand and Bali have more than doubled.
She said: “Bali and Thailand are having their time because people are getting more adventurous with their choice of holiday.”
Pole Travel is actively advertising these destinations on its Facebook page to clients, but Jill said sales are also driven by inspiration on other social media sites such as TikTok.
Not Just Travel agent Gemma Standish said: “We are suggesting long-haul destinations rather than Europe this summer mainly due to the high costs in Europe. We are suggesting Dominican Republic, Mexico and Mauritius as they are great value right now.
“Dubai and Abu Dhabi were other destinations we would switch sell to for families, but the unrest in the Middle East has put a stop to that.”
