Holiday companies are reporting a sharp rise in demand for long-haul breaks because prices are often “more cost-effective” than visiting European alternatives. Surrey-based luxury travel brand Kuoni reported that long-haul bookings for the year ahead are 14% higher than at the same point in 2024. It attributed this to strong sales for people seeking “winter sun, family adventures or multi-centre escapes”.
Among Kuoni’s most popular long-haul destinations are the Maldives, Thailand, Antigua, Vietnam and South Africa. Kuoni managing director Mark Duguid said: “We’ve had a terrific start to the year with a real breadth of destinations around the world selling well. “It’s clear that long-haul is really winning out right now for lots of different reasons. “Value shines through as a common theme.
“Vietnam is a good example of somewhere which is leading the way with experience and adventure travel, with contrasting bustling cities, food, culture and fabulous beaches which creates an ultra-special trip but at affordable prices.”. Online package holiday company Thomas Cook reported a 10% year-on-year increase in long-haul bookings. A spokesman said there is particularly strong demand for breaks in faraway locations in the summer, because the price of these bookings is “comparable to holidays in the Med”.
He added: “Mauritius and Thailand offer great value, especially for families who want to explore a new country.”. Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, said: “This year we’ve seen strong momentum in long-haul travel across our agency partners, with demand accelerating as we moved from January into February. “Interestingly, many families are discovering that long-haul destinations can be more cost-effective during school holidays than European alternatives, particularly in regions like Thailand and the Far East where local costs remain attractive.
