Travellers head back to Turkey and Egypt

BRITAIN’S biggest travel agent hailed a strong start to the year as holidaymakers took a shine again to sun-soaked holidays in the Mediterranean.

Thomas Cook said 34pc of its holidays and flights for the summer were booked, an increase of 3pc on the same time last year.

It is an improvement on early 2017, when terrorist attacks saw tourists flock to safe favourites such as Spain, where hoteliers hiked prices in response, denting Thomas Cook’s takings. But yesterday the group said demand was picking up again in more profitable destinations such as Turkey and Egypt.

Demand in Spain was also returning to normal levels but high prices were still squeezing margins, the company said.

In the three months to December 31, its airline carried 3.5m passengers, up 8pc, with the company planning to increase capacity ahead of the busy summer period.

Peter Fankhauser, chief executive, said: ‘Customers’ appetite for a summer holiday abroad shows no sign of slowing down.’

Shares in the company yesterday fell by 3.9pc, or 4.9p, to 120.4p.