New booking data from online agency Holiday Hypermarket has revealed one in five Brits are now booking trips just two weeks before departure.
The retailer’s analysis of TUI holiday bookings through Holiday Hypermarket found 20.8% of trips were booked within 14 days of travel, while more than 40% were booked within four weeks, which marks a 30% increase year-on-year.
The average booking window has fallen from 88 days to 71 days.
For travel sellers, the trend highlights growing demand for late availability deals, with Tuesday proving the most popular day for booking a last-minute escape.
The Canary Islands were the top choice for spontaneous travellers, followed by Greece and Egypt. The destination saw a 142% rise in last-minute bookings year-on-year, driven by reliable sunshine, short flight times and all-inclusive options, according to Holiday Hypermarket.
Turkiye, the Balearic Islands, Cyprus, Cape Verde, Tunisia, Costa Blanca and Mexico also featured on the list.
Families continued to plan further ahead, booking an average of 76 days before departure compared with 67 days for couples.
Holiday Hypermarket Sales and Marketing Manager Dominic Vanacore said: “We’re seeing more customers embrace the flexibility of booking closer to departure, whether that’s to make the most of great value, escape the unpredictable British weather or simply take advantage of an opportunity for some last minute sunshine.
“For many travellers, booking a holiday is becoming less about planning months in advance and more about finding the right break at the right time. We’ve always helped customers find great value last minute TUI holidays, and our booking data shows that demand for spontaneous getaways continues to grow.”
