’Twas the flight33 before Christmas
There’s a surge in demand for foreign breaks despite prices taking off
SOARING costs have not deterred many people from seeking a Christmas getaway break abroad as travel agents report a boom in business in the countdown to the festive season.
Air fares, hotel costs and car rental prices have rocketed by an average of around 20% across Europe. And despite the hard times many consumers are willing to fork out some very high prices.
Travel agents say that while the demand for festive trips abroad has not returned to pre-pandemic levels quite
‘Anyone looking to get away cannot expect a bargain’
yet, there has been a ‘huge demand’ for Christmas packages in recent weeks.
Paul Hackett, head of the Irish Travel Agents Association, said his members are ‘extremely busy’ in the countdown to Christmas, despite high prices for flights and hotels.
He told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘The people booking now are clearly less impacted by cost of living increases.’
And he said not all travellers are heading for the sun.
According to Mr Hackett, just over half of those who booked with his travel agency in November were looking for a sun holiday, while the rest were heading for European city breaks, Disneyland
Paris trips and breaks in the US.
The industry chief pointed out that this is ‘the first meaningful Christmas’ in three years for international travel.
‘People know when they book late, they will pay more, especially for peak travel dates like Christmas and New Year,’ he said.
‘Most Christmas and New Year holidays are booked nine to 11 months in advance when the air fares and hotel rates are much better – the savings would be in the order of 30% to 50% lower than if you booked now.
‘There is still availability for flights and accommodation in almost all destinations and it is not a price-driven decision [to travel for Christmas].’
However, Mr Hackett acknowledged anyone looking to book a break away between now and Christmas cannot expect to get a bargain.
He said: ‘The airlines know anyone booking now for travel over Christmas is not expecting a bargain, they want to get away and
the hotels abroad are always heavily booked for Christmas and New Year so there is no need for them to discount.
‘The prices are higher than previous years, but travel over Christmas and New Year 2021 was limited and there was nothing in 2020 so the comparative fares are back to 2019, that’s three years ago.’
Travel expert Eoghan Corry agreed ‘pent-up demand’ in the wake of the pandemic is driving the mini boom in bookings.
He said the fact that airlines and tour operators are still not back to full capacity after the Covid emergency is also a factor in the high prices.
‘There are less flights and less hotel rooms on offer so that’s driving up prices,’ he told the MoS.
‘Dominican Republic is cheaper than Canaries’
Mr Corry said bookings for traditional Irish sun spot favourites such as the Canaries ‘are flying out the door’.
‘For the bucket and spade type holidays that we Irish love, then Christmas is looking great for tour operators,’ he added.
‘The Canaries are always a great favourite with the Irish.
‘I spoke to one agent who sold someone a holiday in the Dominican Republic last week and it was actually cheaper than going to the Canaries.
‘That’s how high the prices are there.’
However, the industry expert cautioned there is still ‘some nervousness out there’ about international travel.
Mr Corry added: ‘Europe is back, well it’s about 90% back. But the rest of the world? [Agents] are saying, “when will we get Beijing back?”
‘Actually, Beijing is going the other way in terms of increasing [Covid] restrictions. Asia is still a long way from being back to normal.’