Online Hotel Provider Sees Increase in DomesticBookings at the Expense of Europe With bookings for the summer holidays ramping up over May and June, the travel experts at Octopustravel.com have noticed a trend in customers trading up to hotels that are 3* and above, with 90% of customers now opting for this quality of stay. This trend is also countered by the increase in short term stays as opposed to longer breaks which are experiencing a dip in bookings. It seems that Brits are looking for better quality stays at the expense of longer trips, perhaps still conscious of the ongoing economic pressures, with one night stays seeing a significant increase of more than 10% on last years figures.
To avoid costly international travel with expensive taxes inflating prices even further, Brits are also choosing to stay closer to home. In fact, Octopustravel.com has experienced an increase of nearly 15% on UK bookings in comparison to this time last year. Potentially encouraged by recent sunny spells and Mediterranean temperatures, Octopustravel.com has seen a significant boost in UK city breaks targeting cities such as Leeds, London, Liverpool, York and Birmingham. Looking at the opposite end of the scale, Italy has seen the biggest drop in customers booking through the site, with a 6% drop in sales.
Kevin Currie of Octopus Travel said: “It’s really interesting to see how British consumers are changing their spending patterns and prioritising quality over the length of their holidays. With our recently launched up to 50% off summer sale we hope to help out Brits this summer by providing our customers with hotels which don’t break the bank, but also match their expectations for the quality of properties they want to stay in.”
The only exception to the rule appears to be trips to the United States which have experienced a small amount of growth. With the pound continuing to strengthen against the dollar, this may be helping to boost revenue stateside.
