BRITS SEEK WINTER SUN DESPITE PRICE HIKES

BRITISH families are rushing to book winter holidays in the sun despite soaring prices.

In a trading update, travel giant Tui said bookings at its UK arm for winter breaks overseas are up 9pc on preCovid levels. The surge in demand has come despite the average price of such holidays being 22pc higher than they were before the pandemic.

Among the popular destinations for winter sun are the Canaries, Mexico, Cape Verde and Egypt ( pictured), Tui said. It follows a strong summer for Tui despite travel disruption as holidaymakers flocked to the Canaries, the Balearics, Greece and Turkey.

Bookings by British holidaymakers for the summer were up 4pc on preCovid levels even though prices were up 18pc. But the UK demand was not matched elsewhere with overall bookings for the coming winter at 78pc of the equivalent period pre-Covid.

The company also said flight disruptions are still at ‘elevated levels’.

Outgoing chief executive Fritz Joussen said: ‘The trend has been towards higher value or longer holidays with a higher overall holiday budget.’