You'll enjoy this even more if you've saved money on it
Our hectic lifestyles and somewhat tightened purse strings are causing us to become expert planners - and expert savers - when it comes to booking our big get-away according to new research.
lastminute.com’s ‘Living Life at the Last Minute’ report reveals that over three-quarters of Britons tend to plan their annual holiday, and book the time of work, up to a year in advance yet leave booking the nuts and bolts of their getaways until the last minute.
Almost a quarter of savvy UK travellers admit to not booking at least one element of their holiday, such as flights or accommodation, until a month or less before they jet off – and by doing so they’re saving themselves a significant amount of money in the process.
lastminute.com booking data shows that the average cost of a holiday for two, to one of its top three best-selling sunshine resorts, would cost just over £1,100 when booked six months in advance, compared to just £980 when booked with just a few weeks to go – a saving of just over 11 per cent.
Mark Maddock, Managing Director of lastminute.com UK and Ireland said, ‘It’s really interesting to see just how many travellers are holding off booking elements of their holiday until the last minute. Savvy travellers know that some of the best deals can often be found when booking at the drop of the hat so advance holiday booking isn’t always such a big worry for Britons as it may have been in the past.
“Moreover, this year, more than any other year in recent times is a year of uncertainty in terms of getting away. One thing is certain though, our holidays are a right and not a privilege and we are committed to offering the very best at great prices right up until the very last minute.”
The ‘Living Life at the Last Minute’ report also looked at the relationship between the holiday booking window, cost and stress levels.
Surprisingly, booking a holiday at the very last minute doesn’t seem to stress out travellers. In fact, almost one in five admit that booking their holiday at the last minute makes them enjoy their break more than they would have done if they’d planned and booked months in advance.
When it comes to added cost, it seems that being super organised can prove to be rather expensive. Just under a fifth of UK travellers admit they end up buying more holiday supplies in anticipation the longer they have between booking and leaving for holiday – proving that it is, again, worth leaving things a little more to the last minute.
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