With Spring just around the corner, attention for many Brits will be turning to where to go for their summer holiday.
According to KAYAK.co.uk, prices to many key destinations, including Spanish and Portuguese resorts, and many popular long haul destinations, have dropped massively for holidays this summer (June, July, August).
Compared to last summer, average prices to Ibiza have fallen by 32%, despite it being the fifth most searched-for world-wide destination by Brits.
Furthermore, flight prices to Faro in Portugal have fallen by a fifth (20%), but the biggest flight price drops in Europe, however, are to Pula in Croatia, which have fallen by 43%. The seaside city, which features roman ruins, has benefitted from an increase in airline routes, which has brought prices down. Searches have more than doubled compared to last year, and its popularity is set to increase further in 2017, when British Airways begins direct flights from Heathrow in July.
Many perennially popular resorts have also seen their prices slashed. Prices for flights to Alicante and Mallorca are both down 19%, whilst Malaga has seen average prices for flights fall by 17%.
Many worldwide destinations have also seen significant price reductions – and with long-haul flights costing more, the percentage savings translate to even bigger savings. The bargain of the summer is Mexico, with flights to Mexico City down on average 39%, or £289 cheaper than last year.
Another Western Hemisphere bargain is Rio de Janeiro. The famous city was very popular in 2016 thanks to the international sporting events, but interest from Brits in 2017 has waned significantly, with searches down 63%. This is leading to reduced prices, with savings this summer of 23% (-£173).
Looking Eastwards, Singapore is the Asian bargain of the summer. With year-round sunshine, Singapore has history, World Heritage sites, shopping and tourist attractions in spades. The popularity of the city-state is increasing year-on-year with Brits, but thanks to increasing numbers of flights, prices are falling and are 20% less (-£108) in summer 2017 compared to 2016.
And for those who have been eyeing up a trip to New Zealand, now could be the time. Prices have fallen by 22%, which translates to a saving of £212 pounds. If flying as a family, that translates to significant savings.
According to the data, Brits are falling out of love with the USA in a major way. Searches for flights to key US destinations have fallen off a cliff when it comes to holidays in 2017. Searches for flights to Tampa are down 58%, Orlando is down 58%, Fort Lauderdale is down 57% and Miami is down 52% when compared to last year. To add to the woes, searches for San Diego are down 43%, Las Vegas is down 36% and Los Angeles is down 32%.
As prices to many destinations fall, it’s unsurprising that some locations have seen sharp rises – meaning travellers may be best advised to let prices cool off before planning a trip. Stavanger in Norway is the place which has seen prices rise the most. Flights from the UK have increased, on average, a huge 153%. This is likely down to a mixture of an increased interest in Scandinavian culture amongst Brits, and the cancellation of a direct air services to Stavanger from the US – meaning many will be travelling via the UK, increasing demand and in turn, the cost.
The increase in popularity of Montenegro has also seen a sharp increase in flight prices, which have risen by 122%. Other destinations which have seen significant price rises are Gothenburg (98%), Kiev (71%) and Tangier (56%).
Suzanne Perry – travel expert at KAYAK, commented: “With so many factors impacting holiday prices, from demand to the number of airline routes, year-on-year analysis always shows interesting trends.
“The news overall for Brits is good – many of the most popular European destinations in Spain, Portugal and Eastern Europe have seen nice falls in prices which will benefit many travellers. And factors are combining to lead to some massive price drops in more far-flung locations like Singapore, Brazil and Mexico – meaning that it could be the time to go for those who have been interested in these destinations for a while.
“However, the story of the summer is the fall of interest in the States. We noted that searches to the USA dropped after the new president came to office – but it seems like this is a longer-term trend. The US has historically been one of the most popular countries for Brits, but searches to popular destinations falling by over half in one year is a massive shift. With hotel prices also falling significantly, it may only be a matter of time before airlines follow suit. It will be interesting to see if it can bounce back in 2018.”
Popular European Destinations with Biggest Price Drops this summer
| Destination | Average price summer 2016 | Average price summer 2017 | Percentage change | £ savings |
| Pula, Croatia | £202 | £116 | -43% | £86 |
| Ibiza, Spain | £174 | £118 | -32% | £56 |
| Lyon, France | £124 | £90 | -27% | £34 |
| Minorca, Spain | £210 | £162 | -23% | £48 |
| Faro, Portugal | £204 | £163 | -20% | £41 |
| Larnaca, Cyprus | £252 | £204 | -19% | £48 |
| Alicante, Spain | £179 | £146 | -19% | £33 |
| Mallorca, Spain | £177 | £144 | -19% | £33 |
| Malaga, Spain | £171 | £143 | -17% | £28 |
Popular Worldwide Destinations with Biggest Price Drops this summer
| Destination | Average price summer 2016 | Average price summer 2017 | Percentage change | £ savings |
| Mexico City | £733 | £444 | -39% | £289 |
| Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | £737 | £564 | -23% | £173 |
| Phnom Penh, Cambodia | £692 | £538 | –22% | £154 |
| Auckland, NZ | £966 | £754 | –22% | £212 |
| Singapore | £543 | £426 | -20% | £117 |
| Houston, USA | £638 | £513 | -20% | £125 |
| Denpasar, Bali | £497 | £604 | -18% | £107 |
| Zanzibar, Tanzania | £508 | £613 | -17% | £105 |
| Mumbai, India | £386 | £461 | -16% | £75 |
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