Photo source: Visit Greece
Greece was chosen as one of the most popular destinations British travelers plan to visit in 2023, according to a recent research published by ABTA – The Travel Association, the UK’s largest travel trade body.
Formerly known as the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), the organization was founded in 1950 and boasts a membership of 1,200 companies, 5,000 travel agent branches and more than 900 tour operators.
During the last two weeks of August 2022, ABTA ran its Holiday Habits research in collaboration with research and data analytics company, The Nursery Research and Planning.
The association’s final “top 23 for 23” list was created based on the answers of a representative sample of 2,000 UK consumers who answered the question: Which countries are you planning to travel to in the next 12 months?
Greece came in 5th on the list, following Italy, France, the US and Spain which was in first place.
ABTA’s research showcased a preference of holiday destinations that are closer to home, yet countries such as Mexico, Thailand and Australia continued to have their draw as long-haul favorites.
Furthermore, the lack of travel during the pandemic seems to have reinforced a love for exploring the world, with new figures from ABTA showing that 66 percent of the British public say going on holiday is very important to them, with many choosing to spend less on eating out or buying new clothes, so they can travel more.
The association’s research also found that 61 percent of Britons are planning to head abroad this year and around a third (31 percent) of them say they’re planning to book earlier than normal in order to get the best price for their holiday.
Last week, many UK consumers hit the high street or went online to get their holidays confirmed early to secure the best price.
“People’s appetite for holiday taking has remained remarkably resilient despite the ongoing pressure on people’s finances, though there’s definitely a strong focus on securing great value for money,” said ABTA’s Chief Executive, Mark Tenzer.
The tradition of “Sunshine Saturday”, the first Saturday after the Christmas and New Year break which is typically the most popular day of the year to book a trip abroad in the UK, was predicted as a bumper day for holiday bookings by ABTA.
Follow GTP Headlines on Google News to keep up to date with all the latest on tourism and travel in Greece.
