HAPPY HOLIDAYS
This year’s Christmas presents are not even unwrapped – but Irish consumers are already turning their attentions to foreign shores and sunshine as our focus shifts from festive to…
THE wrapping hasn’t even been ripped from the presents, but travel agents say Irish people are already planning their holidays for 2024.
The post-Christmas gloom of January used to be the time that prospective holidaymakers started browsing for bargains, but this season it’s happening even earlier.
And the holiday trends include ferry travel and holidays in cooler climes as well as the traditional sun holiday beloved of Irish tourists.
Paul Hackett, chair of the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA), and owner of Click&Go, said December had been the busiest yet for the industry.
He told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘It’s been really strong. December is running way ahead of where we’d usually be in January.
‘I think people are realising that the best deals are made by booking early.
‘There were no last minute deals in 2023’
‘They’ve seen there were no last-minute deals in 2023, the prices just got higher and higher.’
‘The market is very strong again, and if you want a cheaper holiday you’ve got to be in at the start.
Mr Hackett says that along with the traditional sun spots of Spain, the Canaries, Turkey, Greece and Italy, there is also ‘huge interest’ in New York and Orlando.
In its 2024 Travel Predictions report, online booking platform, Booking.com surveyed more than 27,000 people across 33 countries and territories.
It found more than half of travellers are considering how climate change will impact the way they plan their holidays in 2024.
Millennials were most likely to give this response, while the Baby Boomer generation was the least likely, according to Booking.com
Over the last year, several climate records have been broken with wildfires, flooding and heatwaves sweeping across many popular European holiday destinations.
In July temperatures soared to a sweltering 46C in Sardinia and Sicily.
As a result, 56% of people agree say they plan to visit cooler destinations this year. For Irish people, the north of France and Spain are proving popular options for a foreign holiday.
Sunway Travel chief executive Mary Denton said rising temperatures mean May/June and September/October are now more popular than ever, and the traditional peak months of July and August are not as busy as they have been in previous years.
She told the MoS: ‘It’s definitely something we’re seeing, but the flip side is that many destinations are becoming year-round now like Morocco and Turkey.’
Carbon emissions from flying are also a consideration, with many people now opting for train or ferry travel or both
The ferry offering between Ireland and France has almost doubled in the last eight years in terms of number of sailings, and Irish
Ferries, Brittany Ferries and Stena are all reporting an uptake in bookings.
And thanks to an initiative unveiled by French president Emmanuel Macron and then Taoiseach Micheál Martin in late 2022, people travelling between the two countries can avail of a combined ferry and train ticket.
The new ‘sail and rail’ facility gives passengers access to discounted fares aimed at promoting travel in a sustainable and simple way, at a reasonable price.
There are also good ferry deals if you want to bring your car.
This Easter, Irish Ferries is offering a seven-day break in Normandy, including the ferry and self-catering accommodation for two children and two adults from €699.
An Irish Ferries spokesman said: ‘Our Ireland – France route also continues to be very popular with sailings direct from Dublin to Cherbourg on the WB Yeats, and you can get your holidays off to a great start with children’s entertainment and live music on board from June through to August.’
Sailings can be secured with a €200 deposit and short breaks are available up to mid-May 2024 from €390 return, which includes ferry crossing for two adults with cabin accommodation each way.
Brittany Ferries’ direct ferry service between Rosslare and Bilbao will resume in the spring, and for the winter months it is operating a service between the Co. Wexford port and Santander in the
province of Cantabria on the north coast of Spain.
Prices start at €129 one way for a car plus two people with reserved seats, although most people will want to book a cabin for the 30-plus hour trip.
While there may not be many summer bargains available in air travel, those willing and able to travel off-season can still find overseas mini breaks for the same price as a night in Irish hotel.
On January 7, Cassidy Travel is offering a four night break in a three-star apartment in the Algarve, including flights, for €179 per person based on two people sharing.
A two-night break in a four-star hotel in Prague, including flights is available for €152 per person from the same company, also in January.
Sunway Travel is offering winter sun packages starting from €400 per person for a week.
Ms Denton said of the enduring attraction of winter getaways in the
‘Tenerife’s volcanic peaks are popular with hikers’
Canaries for Irish holidaymakers: ‘Lanzarote combines stunning beaches with a mild climate in January
and February but there are also vineyards and local cuisine to attract food enthusiasts.
‘Adventure seekers can explore the volcanic craters and hikers love the easy climbs.
‘Tenerife’s volcanic peaks like Mount Teide are also proving popular with hikers and the island also has several wildlife attractions, while history buffs can explore colonial towns.’
Gran Canaria, where breaks start from €399, is also popular owing to its year-round pleasant climate and is something of a haven for water sports enthusiasts.
The island’s consistent trade winds make it an popular destination for windsurfing and kitesurfing.
Booking is already brisk for school midterm and Easter breaks next year in February and March. These are traditionally busy periods when fares jump.