Citizens Advice Bureau

British holiday firms are reporting a boom in bookings up to 235% compared to this time last year, as the Iran war forces people to cancel far-flung destinations and look closer to home instead

Brits are looking again at holidays closer to home this summer as fears grow that the Iran war could ground flights and spike plane ticket prices by up to 50%.

Aviation bosses are said to be growing increasingly worried that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could spell jet fuel shortages within weeks – and are struggling to get guarantees of supply beyond the next month. ⁠

Contingency plans being drawn up would see holidaymakers hit by airlines ‘rationing’ their operations, including a reduced schedule, higher prices and cancellation of less profitable routes.

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It comes as other destinations beloved by British tourists have ended up Iran’s crosshairs.

Cyprus, Turkey and Abu Dhabi are some of the destinations thrown into doubt this year thanks to the Middle East crisis – but holidaymakers are already making ‘staycation’ bookings instead for the likes of Norfolk, Pembrokeshire and the Isle of Wight as they eye up a safer, more certain getaway.

David Land, who works at the University Technical College in Durham, was forced to cancel upcoming stays in Dubai and the Maldives for his wife Barbara’s birthday – and has lined up “sunny Cornwall” as an alternative.

“I’m a bit of a foodie, so I quite like the idea of seeing how many restaurants I can go to, in terms of Paul Ainsworth’s, Rick Stein’s”, he said, aiming to spend four or five days “at least” in the Land of Saints.

David and his wife, who are both in their 70s and tied the knot in 1979, went on one of their first holidays together on the beaches of Northumberland – and he’s also considering a return there this year.

“I would say the majority of our holidays have been abroad, in Europe, the Middle East, the Indian Ocean – but we’ve been saying ‘Why can’t go on a holiday more in the UK’?”, he told the Mirror. “Apart from the need to pack appropriate clothing, it’s a lovely place to go – as long as the people doing it don’t try to rip us off, as happened a bit around Covid.”

‘We’re not going to listen to Donald Trump’

Asked why he hasn’t chosen to simply reschedule his existing foreign holidays, he said: “We’re not going to listen to Donald Trump when he says the war’s going to be over in ‘three or four weeks’. There’s no confidence that we would be able to go back, not until the war stops, and even then we’d have to know that it’s not going to start again.”

Businesses across the UK tourism industry are already reporting a boom in bookings not seen since the pandemic, with Google searches for ‘best staycations’ up 40% since Trump launched his bombardment of Iran.

Business is booming, say British travel firms

Samantha Evans, founder of Humphreys of Henley, said her luxury travel firm has experienced the “busiest start to the year on record”, with the “safe and deeply enriching” surrounds of the English countryside attracting both domestic guests and those from further afield, particularly the United States.

She told the Mirror: “Luxury hotels are reporting an increase in domestic demand over the next three months. British guests are choosing to stay closer to home, but still want exceptional, experience-led travel – so they’re trading airports for the countryside rather than cancelling plans altogether.”

Rental agency Habitat Escapes told the Mirror that their bookings are up 235% this week compared to the same date last year, with the majority for Silverlake Estate in Dorset and the remainder for Lower Mill Estate in the Cotswolds.

And industry expert Emily Keogh, a former judge for The Hotel Magazine Awards, said there was renewed interest in “spontaneous countryside escapes and coastal getaways that can be booked at relatively short notice” because of the new difficulties in international travel.

Others believe this is part of a movement back towards British holidays that began well before the Middle East crisis, as Matthew Price, CEO of travel firm Awaze, said: “This trend of staying closer to home is part of a broader pattern of behaviour we’ve seen in the UK for a number of years, where holidaymakers are choosing staycations over going abroad. From coastal to countryside getaways, the quality and variety on offer in the UK means a domestic break can feel just as exciting as going overseas.

He revealed bookings were up 26% for Cottages.com, alongside a 10% rise in summer bookings for Hoseasons. While the South West remains a popular destination, regions like the North West and Southern Scotland are seeing “the strongest year-on-year growth for the peak summer period”, Mr Price said.

And the Great British holiday may benefit too from rising jet fuel prices, which experts have warned could push up the cost of plane tickets very soon.

Jet fuel shortages threaten cancellations and price hikes

European jet fuel prices reached an all-time high of $1,698 per tonne this week – more than double the $830 per tonne before the air strikes on Iran – and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is sending alarm bells ringing among airline bosses.

While European airlines have stressed that they are currently operating with normal levels of fuel, Scandinavia’s SAS became the first this week to admit it had introduced a “temporary price adjustment” in response to the soaring prices, with more expected to follow.

Experts now predict a potential 30% to 50% hike in plane tickets for European summer holidays if the fuel crisis drags on, potentially costing an extra £600 for a family of four heading to the Canary Islands, Greece or Morocco.

Long-haul flights would see even steeper price increases, with a family trip to Australia going up by an eye-watering £2,400.

James Noel-Beswick, head of commodities at market intelligence firm Sparta Commodities, told the BBC: “I think we’re weeks away from maybe flight cancellations or delays due to lack of jet fuel, rather than months.”

An end to the age of cheap foreign holidays is likely to help tip the balance back in favour of domestic holidays when it comes to cost, as ‘staycations’ have long been criticised for poor value for money – especially when it comes to accommodation.

You can expect to pay at least £500 for five nights in a budget holiday let near St Ives – but in Malaga, the equivalent would set you back just £350.

Air travel chaos threatens holiday favourites

British holidaymakers preparing to head to Spain on their Easter getaways have meanwhile been warned to expect chaos at airports, with a national baggage handler strike threatening to cause missed connections and delayed boarding.

And there’s mounting uncertainty around Turkey, where three Iranian missiles have been intercepted since the beginning of the conflict, and popular Brit destination Cyprus, which saw the RAF base on the island’s southern coast come under drone attack.

Foreign Office chiefs currently advise anyone travelling to either country to be aware of the risks of ‘regional escalation’.

The Citizens Advice Bureau say holidaymakers who are unsure over a trip they have booked in the months ahead should get in touch with their travel provider – but don’t cancel before speaking to them, as you may lose your right to a refund.

Top 10 destinations for British summer holidays:

The top 10 UK destinations for summer staycations, based on consumer research of 2,000 UK adults by Sykes Holiday Cottages: