Brits Boost Spending on Travel
Barclays, which also tracks credit card spending, noticed that spending on non-essential items in December was boosted by 2.3 percent, and transactions with travel agents boosted by almost 19 percent. Airline spending was boosted by 26 percent.
Brits With More Money to Spend
According to experts at Barclays, this is due to a drop in inflation at the end of 2023, which is expected to fall more in the first few months of 2024. So, UK travelers will have more money to spend this year. One of the most popular areas of Greece among British travelers is the Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece. Based on meetings with local tourism professionals and UK tour operators, pre-bookings for 2024 were 18 percent higher than in 2022.
Booking Travel Early
According to a survey by American Express, 13.6 million UK citizens have booked their holidays already for 2024, and Greece is in their top 5 picks. According to a survey conducted by Opinium, a global research agency, UK travelers will on average, take two holidays over the next year. 37 percent have already booked, so they can avoid the disappointment of sold-out flights. The second reason for booking early was to “have something to look forward to over the winter months,” according to 31 percent of respondents. Among the other top reasons for travel were – in order – relaxation (60 percent), good local food (43 percent), culture (41 percent), and “looking for a thrill” (31 percent).