Time to Rethink the Six-Week Summer Holiday, Says Advantage Travel Partnership as It Announces 2026 and 2027 Booking Trends

• Advantage Travel Partnership in partnership with UK Outbound Travel Group calls for two weeks of the summer break to be redistributed across October and February half-terms to ease peak-season pressure 
• Tenerife, Mallorca and the Costa Blanca are the most popular short-haul destinations, while New York, Orlando and Jamaica take the top spots for top long-haul destinations of 2026 to date 
• Cruise revenue rises 14%, with Brits increasingly seeking cooler destinations and no-fly holidays 
• The Ryder Cup (Ireland), Women’s World Cup (Brazil), Solar Eclipse (North Africa and Spain), Men’s Rugby World Cup (Australia) are all expected to drive bookings 
• Albania tipped as the destination to watch for 2027, offering British holidaymakers beaches, short flight times and strong value 
• Budget-conscious tourists on the rise – holidaymakers eating cheaply on holiday and avoiding eating out 

Brits are still determined to get away despite a year of disruption, rising costs and record-breaking heat, but the UK’s traditional six-week summer holiday needs rethinking, according to new figures from the UK’s largest network of independently owned travel businesses, Advantage Travel Partnership. 

The call comes as new figures from Advantage’s 2026 end-of-summer trading update show that Brits remain determined to travel, despite rising costs, extreme summer temperatures, disruption and concerns around the introduction of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). 



Some 142 million passengers travelled through UK airports in the first half of 2026 – one million more than the same period last year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority, despite worries that the chaotic implementation of the EES scheme would dissuade travellers from flying. Meanwhile cruise bookings continue to surge and major sporting events are already shaping future travel plans. 

Julia Lo Bue-Said OBE, CEO of Advantage Travel Partnership and Founder of UK Outbound Travel Group, said: “Brits aren’t giving up on their holidays, far from it. But we are seeing people become much more considered about when and where they travel, as well as they type of holiday they book, and how far in advance of travel they commit to booking.

The traditional six-week summer holiday is increasingly out of step with the way people travel today. It concentrates millions of families into the same six weeks, pushing up prices and putting huge pressure on airports, airlines, resorts and destinations. 



At the same time, European summers are getting hotter, making July and August increasingly challenging for holidaymakers. We need to start thinking differently about when families take their holidays.” 

School Holiday Reform

UK Outbound Travel Group and Advantage Travel Partnership are once again calling on local councils to consider a flexible approach to the traditional six-week summer holiday 

Redistributing some of the summer break into other parts of the school year could help spread tourism demand, give families greater flexibility and reduce pressure on the peak season. 

Julia Lo-Bue Said OBE continued, “the UK currently has a fragmented approach to summer holidays, where academies and independent schools and some councils have allowed a degree of flexibility, allowing two weeks of the August summer holidays to be redistributed across the October and February half terms. 

UK Outbound Travel Group, supported by Advantage Travel Partnership is calling on local councils to adopt this approach throughout the country where possible, alleviating the pressure on families all booking their holidays abroad in the same 6 weeks.” 

“We know that half of parents support a shorter summer holiday according to the National Parent 2026 survey, which is set to be published this week by Parentkind, the UK’s largest parent charity. We encourage each local authority in England and Wales to run a consultation to decide if the summer holiday should be shortened.”  

Summer Holiday Booking Trends 

Average booking value of short haul holidays is up 8% compared to 2025, with the top booked destinations being Tenerife, Mallorca, Costa Blanca, Lanzarote, the Costa del Sol and Antalya. 

Long haul holidays have also performed strongly this year, with average booking values up 5%, and travellers who would have originally travelled to the Middle East opting to travel to the USA (+18%), the Caribbean (+13%) and the Far East instead. New York, Orlando, Jamaica and Thailand topped the charts of the most booked destinations, with the USA seeing a boom in visitors as the country caught World Cup fever this summer. 

Family holidays have also increased 5% this summer following a much talked-about dip in passenger numbers in 2025. While Easter bookings had dipped during the Middle East crisis, these bookings appear to have shifted to the summer and October half-terms instead. 

Touring holidays take off 

Touring holidays have emerged as another major growth area, with revenue up 22% compared with 2025 and average booking value increasing by 8%. 

South Africa, Kenya and Japan are proving particularly popular long-haul touring destinations, as travellers seek experiences centred around wildlife, culture and exploration, while Italy, France and Spain lead the short-haul touring market. 

John Sullivan, Commercial Director at Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “Touring has been a real growth story for us in 2026. People are looking beyond a traditional fly-and-flop holiday and increasingly want to see and experience a destination properly. 

China, Indonesia and South America are already on our radar as destinations to watch, with China particularly interesting following the easing of visa restrictions for British travellers and the growing influence of programmes such as Race Across the World shining the light on the incredible cuisine, culture and nature of the expansive country.” 

Where to Book in 2027 



The sporting calendar is set to have a major influence on travel next year, with a series of global events expected to generate significant demand. 

Advantage expects the Ryder Cup in Ireland, FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, solar eclipse in North Africa and Spain and Men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia to drive bookings as travellers combine major events with holidays. 

Meanwhile Advantage Travel Partnership has tipped Albania as the destination to watch for 2027, thanks to its beautiful beaches, easy travel time from the UK, and excellent value for money for summer holidays. Other destinations on the rise include Hong Kong (+64% revenue increase 2026 vs 2025), Egypt (+53%), Vietnam (+30%) and Africa (+23%).

Budget conscious holidaymakers on the rise

As the cost-of-living continues to creep up, budget conscious holidaymakers who look to eat cheaply on holiday and avoid eating out – is on the rise.  

“Value has definitely been the watchword this year, but it's only half the story” says Advantage Travel Partnership. “British holidaymakers aren't spending less on their holidays; they're spending it differently. This has been another year in which consumers have felt a further squeeze on their disposable income, but they're not prepared to sacrifice a holiday altogether. Instead, they're holidaying differently, and part of that is making their budgets stretch further by being a little more self-sufficient.” 

All-inclusive has been by far the most popular way to book this summer, taking a 35% share according to Advantage Travel Partnership’s data. The next biggest share, at 25%, is consumers booking bed and breakfast. These holidaymakers are further price-conscious and looking for a lower entry price for their getaway, often preferring to cater for themselves and spend elsewhere on must-see or must-do attractions and experiences, which are seeing their revenues increase at the expense of local restaurants.

Cruise Bookings Boom 



UK cruise bookings are thriving, with luxury emerging as a particularly strong growth story,” says Jonny Peat, Director of Cruise at Advantage Travel Partnership. 

“While Advantage’s overall leisure revenue is up 9%, cruise-specific revenue has increased by 14%, reflecting strong demand for holidays in both 2026 and future seasons. Luxury cruise revenue is up 22% compared with 2025, as customers increasingly prioritise space, service, premium accommodation, and destination-rich itineraries. 

“Customers have clear confidence in the cruise industry and are continuing to book one or two years ahead when they want to secure a particular ship, suite or itinerary.” 

Expedition cruising recorded the largest percentage increase in revenue, rising 41% from a smaller base. This was followed by river cruising, which achieved 29% growth despite a challenging summer of lower water levels. Luxury increased by 22%, while ocean cruise revenue grew by 10%. 

Lead times remain longer for cruise than for many other holidays. Passenger bookings made one year ahead are up 22% compared with 2025, while those made two years ahead have increased by 13%. 

Demand for cooler-climate itineraries is particularly evident in bookings for Norway and the fjords, which are up 14% compared with 2025. The Baltics and Northern Europe are also performing strongly, with bookings up 10%. 

No-fly cruising remains popular, particularly among travellers who want to avoid airports during the peak summer period and sail directly from the UK. However, Advantage members have also successfully switched enquiries into European fly-cruise holidays, where keen pricing has created excellent value. Short flights to embarkation ports such as Barcelona, Rome and Athens open a much wider choice of Mediterranean ships and itineraries. 

Luxury is expected to remain one of the key cruise growth areas in 2027. Attractive pricing is bringing small-ship and yacht-style cruising within reach of a broader audience, while the expansion of brands such as Explora Journeys are introducing luxury customers to holidays at sea. 

Advantage members are helping customers understand the complete value of these products, from spacious accommodation and high levels of service to included dining and access to smaller, less-visited ports. Their specialist knowledge is particularly important when customers are considering a premium product or trying a luxury cruise brand for the first time.

Elsewhere, river demand is diversifying, with more adventurous journeys on the Mekong and in India and Colombia attracting attention. Japan and the wider Asia region are also tipped as destinations to watch, as demand grows for culturally rich, longer and higher-value cruise holidays.