Summer sales have suffered a setback due to the bank holiday heatwave coinciding with the start of the school half-term holiday, according to the trade.
Travel agents said sales typically slowed during half-term but were likely to have been hit further by the extreme heat, with family sales flat or down on last year for key summer months.
Inspire Europe chief executive Lisa Henning predicted a pick-up after half-term but admitted: “The scorching weather, combined with the half-term break, has effectively impacted sales for the last week.”
Dawson & Sanderson commercial and corporate director Judith Alderson said: “The family market remains slow but given the heatwave over the bank holiday weekend we did expect this may be the case.”
She credited the “vast amount of late offers” and low prices for boosting May and June sales but said free child places were the main driver for family summer bookings.
Holiday Village managing director Paula Nuttall highlighted price messages as key for summer sales. “Price is 100% going to stimulate the market; the uncertainty is still there and those on strict budgets want to and will travel at the right price,” she said.
The Travel Network Group chief operating officer Stephanie Slark said July and August sales remained softer year on year.
“Family bookings remain relatively flat and more price-driven. Couples and groups are outperforming and driving overall growth. Enquiries are there, but conversion remains slow,” she said, adding UK sales rose for the group’s homeworking arm last week.
Travel By Hannah owner Hannah Porter also reported some families considering UK summer breaks as a “back-up plan” but stressed most were looking to go abroad. She insisted: “Demand is still there for the right value options.”
John Sullivan, commercial director at Advantage Travel Partnership, noted average booking values last week were “slightly ahead” of the same week last year, adding: “[This] suggests customers are still buying based on the value proposition, rather than the cheapest price.”
Agents reported more-robust sales of long-haul holidays and cruises.
Bolsolver Cruise Club director of sales and operations Fran Hurst pointed to “strong interest in family‑friendly Mediterranean holidays and all-inclusive” breaks.
Lisa McAuley, managing director of World Travel Holdings UK, insisted: “This summer’s pricing has been particularly good, so we are seeing people take advantage of that.”
Sandra Corkin, founder and creative director of Oasis Travel, noted that sales in the past week were “slightly down” on the previous week because of the weather and the bank holiday.
“It is encouraging to see that the sales this week have been mainly for 2026 departure whilst last week we had a higher demand for 2027 over 2026,” she added.
“There are some good deals for this summer which have helped to stimulate sales particularly in the cruise sector.
“Clients are still holding off on long-haul bookings as they ‘wait and see’ what is happening in Iran.”
