/Brits get booking
A QUARTER of a million people in Greater Manchester are set to book their holiday this month - and Spain will be the most popular choice.
New research by ATOL reveals that most travellers book their breaks in advance to have something to look forward to in the new year, while others feel it helps them stay organised.
Following Spain, the next most popular destinations are Greece, the USA, Portugal, Italy, Australia, the Caribbean, Thailand, India and New Zealand.
Meanwhile, the least popular destinations are Azerbaijan, Colombia, Romania, Slovenia and Scandinavia.
Despite the weakness of the pound driving up costs, the latest data has found that the popularity of the USA is stronger than ever, with more than a million more people looking to travel across the pond in 2018 than 2017.
After enjoying adventurous gap years, the study shows millennials are now keen to holiday a little closer to home with European destinations very much in vogue for the younger generation. Spain, Italy and Greece are all top destinations of choice and Portugal is rapidly closing the gap thanks to its buzzing food scene, photogenic cityscapes and Port making a comeback.
This is in contrast to the older generation who are increasingly using retirement to travel to far flung destinations such as New Zealand and Australia.
The research found that when it comes to booking holidays, top priorities for consumers include guaranteed sunshine, a nearby beach and even access to British TV channels.
For the younger generation, the top three priorities for a holiday include ‘good wi-fi’, ‘free data roaming’ and ‘instagrammable locations’.
This is in stark contrast to those who are over 55 - who are three times more concerned about having ATOL protection when booking a break.
Richard Moriarty, consumers and markets director at the Civil Aviation Authority said: “We want to make sure as many people as possible understand the benefits of the ATOL scheme.”
For more information about ATOL protection see packpeaceofmind.co.uk