Cheap breaks? Not for much longer

HOLIDAYMAKERS looking to grab a bargain should move quickly before prices surge in the coming weeks, a travel expert said yesterday.

Airlines are currently offering cut-price deals to encourage Britons to once again fly with confidence, however these will rise as demand increases.

After the Government finally announced a list of countries where English travellers can visit without having to quarantine on return, travel companies were braced for a slew of new bookings.

Top holiday destinations including Spain, France and Italy are among the countries with no inbound nor outbound restrictions.

Travel consultant Paul Charles, of The PC Agency, said sunseekers would be wise to move quickly as ‘the early birds will get the best deals’.

‘We have already seen the price of villas shooting up quickly, as people want space and privacy,’ he said.

‘There is a lot less supply for this. Airlines will be raising their prices as demand goes up. They are currently offering a raft of cheap deals to encourage people to travel because confidence needs boosting.

‘But as more people start to book and confidence builds those prices will start to go up.’ Demand for early July increased by almost 10 per cent in the week beginning June 15 and 17 per cent in the week beginning June 22. For trips to Majorca and the Costa del Sol, there has been a 110 per cent increase in demand, according to website Expedia.

However many trips abroad remain far cheaper than usual for the time of year.

According to flight booking website Skyscanner, a return flight to Alicante in July is currently 69 per cent cheaper than its two-year average at £32 and a return to Venice in August is £69 compared with an average of £137.

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