The rise of ‘value-first’ travel and the quiet comeback of the package holiday | News
The latest UK consumer spending figures show that spending on travel has fallen for the third month in a row (-5.8% year-on-year) – a sign of caution in today’s unpredictable economy and global order.
But what we’re seeing at Thomas Cook is that it’s largely a matter of adapting, rather than the public cutting back on or forgoing holidays.
Customers are becoming more financially aware and making smarter decisions when booking a holiday. Cheap ‘destination dupes’ are becoming increasingly popular, holidaymakers are looking for more flexibility and protection, and most importantly they want to know what their holiday will actually cost from the day they book to the day they get home.
The number of bookings for summer holidays and family holidays has increased year on year
Thomas Cook has seen an increase in the number of traveling customers across all destinations this summer. In 2026, 67% of customers have opted for dates before the end of August, an increase of 4% compared to 2025.
There is greater demand for family holidays this year, with bookings up 41% year-on-year, despite the rising cost of living. This indicates that time away together to reconnect, relax and make memories remains a priority.
Great value ‘Destination dupes’ are becoming increasingly popular
Our holidays in Albania have seen a 282% increase in bookings year-on-year. Albania’s spectacular coastline and historic towns offer a very similar Mediterranean feel to popular destinations such as Croatia and southern Italy, at great value prices. Thomas Cook’s offering in Albania has grown significantly during this period due to rising demand.
Our holiday packages in Turkey and Greece are also becoming increasingly popular, with bookings increasing year-on-year by 41% and 76% respectively.
The ongoing situation in the Middle East has led holidaymakers to consider other long-haul destinations this year, exploring Mexico (+106%) and Jamaica (+190%) instead.
The quiet comeback of the package holiday and the demand for flexible payment options
In the era of travel first, we’re seeing the quiet comeback of the package holiday, offering families, friends and couples security, value and greater control over costs. The all-inclusive share is almost 50% of total bookings at Thomas Cook, compared to 46% in June last year.
The average turnaround time for bookings to departure, for all holiday types, is 77 days so far in June – just under three months. This has remained relatively stable over the past year, only 3 days longer than in June 2025. Room-only bookings have the longest average lead time of 86 days, perhaps due to additional cost factors to consider, compared to all-inclusive holidays which are booked 75 days in advance.
And the clear people appreciate flexible payment options for their holidays. Only 5% of customers who have booked an upcoming holiday with us have paid the full balance of their trip, demonstrating that many customers are opting for payment plans where they overpay the total cost upfront.
Spokesperson: Nicholas Smith, director of dynamic packages at Thomas Cook
