British holidaymakers have become more confident about taking overseas trips after the ceasefire between the United States and Iran in June, according to a new survey. The share of people who said they were very likely to go abroad in the next 3 months rose by more than 3 percentage points to 29%, compared with May.
The poll also found a sharp fall in concern about travelling overseas. The proportion of respondents who said they felt unsafe dropped by 10 points from April, while demand for package holidays, especially those protected by Atol, increased as travellers looked for more certainty amid unrest in the Middle East.
The research, carried out by The Harris Poll UK for Travel Weekly, was based on 1,006 adults surveyed between 16 and 22 June, after the ceasefire announced on 15 June. It suggested that while confidence improved, appetite for long-haul destinations outside Europe did not rise, and comfort with connecting flights via Gulf states fell by 2 points from mid-May.
The findings come as travel firms report a mixed but generally more positive picture. Blue Bay Travel chief executive Alistair Rowland said easing Foreign Office advice for Gulf countries did not trigger the booking jump many had expected, but cancellations and date changes fell significantly.
Seaside Travel regional sales manager Rebecca Rutter said customer confidence improved noticeably last week and booking volumes rose. She said 44% of the company’s sales were for this summer and 38% for next summer.
Advantage Travel Partnership commercial director John Sullivan said sales rose 17% year on year last week, with 35% of bookings due to depart in July and August. He added that demand for long-haul destinations remained weak.
Rob Kenton, managing director of Triangle Travel, said the World Cup and a heatwave had slowed bookings in the short term, but the company’s bookings were still 5% ahead of last year. He said fears over a fuel crisis had eased and consumer confidence had clearly recovered.
Stephanie Slark, operations director at The Travel Network Group, said members had given mixed feedback, but the overall picture was positive. She said last-minute bookings had slowed, while forward bookings remained strong.
The survey points to a more cautious form of recovery in British outbound travel. Travellers appear more willing to book overseas holidays, but many are still choosing package trips with financial protection, rather than taking on more risk in a volatile geopolitical climate.
Industry figures suggest that Middle East tensions continue to influence behaviour, even after the ceasefire. The rise in Atol-protected package demand indicates that security and flexibility now matter as much as price for many holidaymakers.
