Established markets attract tourists

Wednesday May 14th , 2008

British tourists are continuing to book trips to established European destinations, according to a holiday firm.

TUI Travel revealed that the overall number of bookings for summer holidays in the last six weeks is eight per cent higher than it was a year earlier.

The company revealed that much of the interest is focused on traditional tourist hotspots in Europe, such as Spain.

Peter Long, chief executive of TUI Travel, said this shows that consumers are not willing to sacrifice their summer holiday, even with the strong euro and credit crunch.

He commented: "This confirms our research that the annual holiday is an important component of the family budget."

Mr Long added that there has also been no difference in the length of time people are planning to spend on holiday.

This comes after online travel agency Freedom Direct said holidays in Spain are still the "unbeatable favourite" for British tourists this year.