June is the New January when it comes to Booking Holidays

This year more than any other has been tough for businesses up and down the country and it has turned into the survival of the fittest when it comes down to any sector including the travel industry. Some interesting trends have started to emerge that may suggest consumers are leaving it later to book their holidays than ever before.

It always used to be traditional for holiday bookings to be at their peak in January and February. People had the cold dark evenings with not much to do and it was great to look at the holidays and pick your chosen destination. In 2009 this trend seems to have reversed and there are reasons why this may be the case. One of the main reasons is many people are looking to take more cost effective holidays and staying within their own countries, you may be thinking why does this affect when people are booking. The simple answer is traditionally on the foreign holidays the flights were cheaper the earlier you booked; therefore people would book well in advance and get their accommodation booked as well for their summer breaks.

With the advent of the credit crunch this has meant people have become a lot more careful with their money and are deciding to look for cheaper and more affordable options when taking a holiday. By cutting out the foreign holidays, particularly flying people are now taking a more considered approach and waiting until later to get the holidays booked. In return the holiday travel companies are offering a great deal more incentives for people throughout the year rather than just book early to save money. So with all these factors coupled in together the consumers are leaving their holiday bookings far later.

The trend for taking local holidays in holiday parks and log cabin breaks seems to be the popular choice. It is noticeable people are looking to get holidays that give them more than just accommodation; they want facilities to go with the accommodation as well. Active holidays are more popular than ever before with more people biking, walking and taking adventure breaks. With the holiday parks and log cabin breaks the choice of accommodation and facilities all at reasonable prices compared to a holiday abroad has opened up the market to a whole new sector.

The holiday companies need to take advantage of the fact that the credit crunch will not last forever and consumer confidence will start to grow again, when this does happen people will be faced with the choice of do they stay holidaying at home or do they revert back to the holidays abroad. The only way to encourage people to enjoy a holiday break in their own country time and time again is to ensure they have the best possible experience and it is the old saying that first impressions do count.

Chris Courtis is a travel writer who has worked with holdiayparkhols who provide Holiday Park Breaks and Log Cabin Holidays throughout the UK and Europe.