Planning a 2017 summer holiday? Here's what our members say

With an average holiday budget of between £301 and £500, nearly 90% of surveyed Simply Holiday Deals (now known as Travelscoop) members are planning a getaway this summer 2017. This is great news for the tourism industry and even better for those jetting off for fun in the sun!

If you haven’t chosen your destination yet, the top hot spots include Spain, with nearly 60% of respondents planning a break to tapas heaven. The USA, Asia and Australia are popular options for long-haul travel and Cornwall is the pick for ‘staycations’.

Down to the finer details and our survey reveals over 80% of members will book their trip entirely online, with the help of search engines and deal sites. Brexit and the falling pound haven’t made much of an impact on holiday decisions, however, terrorism in different parts of the world has affected where people choose to go.

Let’s take a closer look at the results.

• Our members are ready and raring to go to find the sun, surf and sand this summer, with the overwhelming majority planning a break.
• Brexit and the value of the pound aren’t going to deter the majority of respondents from a sunny escape this year, despite speculation that travel insurance and mobile roaming charges could rise.  
• It’s little wonder nearly 60% of members have reconsidered travel to various parts of the world, with the FCO issuing warnings throughout areas of popular destinations, including Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia.
• Planning a 2017 Summer Holiday? Here’s What Our Members Say: Half of all members surveyed are planning a short-haul trip, while long-haul travel is only on the cards for less than 10%. With over 20% of people affected by the value of the pound, this could explain the popularity of shorter trips, closer to home.
• Perennially popular Spain is where over half of the respondents plan to visit, on a short-haul holiday. Greece’s beaches are another popular option, followed by the golden sands of Portugal.
• ‘Staycations’ at everyone’s favourite seaside towns look set to soar in 2017, with Cornwall and Devon attracting attention. However, trips to the country aren’t overlooked, with the Lake District and Yorkshire topping the list.
• The USA comes out in front for long-haul summer holidays, with over 30% of respondents ready to jet off to explore beaches, national parks, theme parks (read; Florida) and world-renowned cities. With cheap prices for package deals, food and shopping, it’s no surprise that 20% of people can’t wait to go to Asia.
• Our survey reveals that search engines, deal sites and booking sites, in that order, give our members the necessary resources to research and plan holidays.
• An overwhelming majority of almost 80% choose to book holidays entirely online, with less than 20% doing so in person.
• It seems our members are savvy planners when it comes to planning holidays. Nearly half of those surveyed plan three to six months in advance. Still, about 30% do so under three months, no doubt taking advantage of last-minute deal prices.
• With over 30% of respondents claiming a travel budget of between £301 and £500 per person and upwards, finances for holidays are looking good for 2017.
• The typical length of a holiday for our members is one to two weeks, with less than 5% having the luxury of more than four weeks.