Holidaymakers facing above-inflation rises in cost of summer trips, study shows
Holidaymakers facing above-inflation rises in cost of summer trips, study shows
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European package holidays have seen a price hike of up to 11.5% this year in comparison to 2024, according to new analysis by Consumer group Which?. The watchdog attributes this surge to various factors including high demand, escalating energy costs for hotels, and airlines' capacity constraints. The analysis considered prices for over 8,000 European package holidays, comparing bookings made this month for an August departure with those made in January 2024 for an August 2024 departure.
It revealed that trips to Bulgaria's Black Sea coast have witnessed the most substantial increase. The average per person cost for a week-long break in this location has escalated by 11.5%, from £1,038 to £1,157. That means a couple will have to find an extra £238 on average to make a booking.
Other destinations that saw significant average price hikes include Italy (up 7.4%), Portugal (up 6.8%) and Cyprus (up 6.4%). Across all locations, the average increase stood at 4.2%. Which? compared this with the UK’s Consumer Prices Index measure of inflation, which was 2.5% in the year leading up to December 2024, while the euro area's inflation rate was 2.4%. Only a few hotspots like Ibiza ( down 6.4%) and Tenerife (down 2.0%) saw a drop in package holiday prices.
Rory Boland, the editor of consumer champion mag Which? Travel, said: "While inflation has started to ease over the last year, our latest research has shown holiday prices bucking the trend, with a combination of increased demand, alongside rising energy and fuel costs, contributing to higher prices for holidaymakers.
