While the downturn isn't stopping us from heading abroad, it is encouraging many back into the budget fold, writes Mark Rodden.With that in mind, 10 operators share their best late deals
THE HOLIDAY-BOOKING season is showing no signs of slowing up despite the news that the country is facing into a recession, according to travel industry sources.
Travel operators have reported a flurry of bookings in the past two weeks, as the poor weather - combined with memories of last summer's wash-out - have had people rushing to get a late summer deal. Although many operators say they had taken a lot of advance bookings for the summer, there is still plenty of last-minute capacity available.
While industry sources expect people to become more cautious in their spending in the coming months, recent trends indicate that Irish people are continuing to go abroad in increasing numbers. In the first four months of the year, overseas visits by Irish residents were up 8 per cent compared with the corresponding period of last year. If this summer is anything to go by, that upward trend could continue in the short-term before the recession begins to make an impact.
"We had a very good burst of bookings at the start of the season, but, as is normal, some people leave it until the last minute," said Budget Travel's head of marketing Clem Walshe. "What we've noticed now, certainly in the last fortnight, is that there's been a significant burst of activity on the family side of things."
The feeling among operators such as Budget Travel and Falcon Holidays is that if people are going to forsake a trip abroad to cut back on costs in the wake of a recession, it won't be at the expense of a family holiday.
"We honestly believe that the family holiday is sacrosanct," Walshe said. "We don't think that people are going to stop going on holidays. Given what's going on, we think that, if anything, more people that might have looked at more upmarket luxury type of holidays in the past when times were good are now going to come back to the budget fold."
Other industry sources believe a recession won't have a major impact on a significant section of middle-class Ireland, who - with their money made during the boom and their mortgages paid off - can still comfortably afford a luxury holiday. For its part, Tour America, which specialises in North American holidays and cruises, says it has not yet suffered as a result of rising fuel surcharges or the recession.
"We love when we see the rain here in Ireland because bookings in the last two weeks have surged by very close to 20 per cent vis à vis last year," says Mary McKenna, managing director of Tour America.
McKenna says the growth can be explained by the poor weather and good value on deals compared with travelling in Europe or in Ireland. This time last year the euro was trading at $1.37, while this week it again reached $1.58, something McKenna believes helps account for the increase in bookings.
"What we have seen is a huge increase in deposits paid for 2009," she says. "People might be tightening up on other things but they're booking their holiday well in advance and preparing themselves."
Ray Scully, director of Crystal Holidays, says people are still travelling in numbers despite news of the recession, but he has noticed a trend for slightly later booking than usual. Tanya Airey, managing director of Sunway Holidays, says sales are up by 10 per cent for the summer but many customers are now opting for half-board or all-inclusive packages so that they know exactly how much they are going to spend.
Whatever the long-term effects a recession will have on the industry, travel operators believe there are still some good-value deals for the summer - if you don't hang around.
Leave it all behind: 10 tour operators reveal their best last-minute deals
1American Holidays 01-6733840, www.americanholidays.com. The North American specialist has deals to Orlando, costing €609 per person including taxes for a family of four and from €629 per person for a two-bed apartment.
2Budget Travel 01-6311111, www.budgettravel.ie. Budget Travel has seats available for sun holidays for next weekend. One week in Ibiza costs €299, while week-long trips to Majorca, Benidorm, Salou and the Algarve are all priced at €359.
Fuerteventura is priced at €379 for one week, the Costa del Sol costs €399, while Lanzarote and Tenerife cost €439 for next weekend. Two-week trips are also available and there are reduced prices for children. All prices include flights, accommodation and taxes.
3Crystal Holidays 01-4331010, www.crystalholidays.ie.
Late offers for the summer include seven nights in three-star accommodation in Sorrento, Italy for €499 and a week in Sicily for €465.
4Falcon and JWT Holidays 1850-453545 www.falconholidays.ie, www.jwtholidays.ie. There are regular deals throughout July from Dublin to Fuerteventura, the Algarve, Sorrento and Gran Canaria. Prices start at €438 per person for seven nights. A week-long stay in Bulgaria this month, departing at different dates from Dublin, Shannon or Cork, costs from €459 per person. A week in Egypt, leaving Dublin on July 31st, costs from €599 per person.
51800hotels.ie 1800-468357, www.1800hotels.ie.
This hotel specialist has week-long offers this month for travel to Salou and Playa de las Americas in Spain, the Algarve, Sliema in Malta and Orlando. Playa de las Americas starts at €156 per person sharing, while Orlando accommodation is €244 per person. Based on two people sharing.
6Panorama Holidays 0818-202020 www.panoramaholidays.ie. Panorama Holidays have a number of last-minute offers for departures on July 11th and 12th. A seven-night trip to Crete costs €359 per person based on three people sharing, while a trip to Ibiza, based on four people sharing and leaving Dublin on July 11th, costs €459 per person sharing for seven nights and €539 for 14 nights. Departing from Dublin, Shannon and Cork on July 12th is a 14-night trip to Lanzarote, starting at €549 per person. Prices include flights, transfers, accommodation and all taxes, subject to availability.
7Sunway Holidays 01-2886828, www.sunway.ie, www.clubmedsunway.ie. Sunway has a number of week-long offers to Crete, Sicily, the Azores, Tunisia and Turkey for next weekend. Prices start at €363 and include flights, accommodation, transfers and taxes. All-inclusive Club Med specials for July include week-long trips to Portugal and Morocco on July 12th and 19th and a trip to Sicily on July 25th. Prices are from €1,341.
8Topflight 01-2401700, www.topflight.ie. Topflight has deals to Sorrento from Belfast all through August, starting at £499 for seven nights. Seven-night trips to Sicily from Dublin in July, August or September start at €399, while a similar trip to Lanzarote costs from €359.
Week-long packages to Lake Garda leaving Dublin in July start at €499.
9Tour America 01-8173500, www.touramerica.ie. This operator has a Mediterranean and Greek Isles cruise holiday leaving in October and November. Price includes return flights to Barcelona, 12 nights' full board and all taxes. From €869 per person.
A four-night New York Christmas shopping break costs €899 per person including flights and taxes.
10Tropical Places 01-4331029, www.tropicalplaces.ie. Tropical Places has a week- long deal to Antigua starting at €925 including taxes. A 13-night stay in Thailand costs from €1,213 including taxes.