Dart Group PLC News

04th January 2012

• Jet2.com and Jet2holidays reveal key travel trends in What’s Hot 2012 report
• 65 per cent say they will avoid the Olympic hype by escaping somewhere hot
• A nation of culture vultures as 70 per cent seek an authentic break
• Viva Espania as Iberian Penninsula firm fave with Brits abroad

Leading leisure airline, Jet2.com, and package holiday specialist, Jet2holidays, have launched an in-depth What’s Hot 2012 report into the key travel trends for the year ahead.  The report combines research findings from more than a thousand holidaymakers with customer data and their considerable travel expertise, to provide an insight into how people will holiday in 2012.

What’s Hot 2012 reveals 'Where' the hot destinations will be, 'Why' people are planning certain types of breaks, 'Who' people will be travelling with and 'How' they are planning their holiday. 

Key findings include: 

Escaping economic gloom and Olympic overload:

• Talk of a double dip recession plus the current Eurozone crisis isn’t stopping people from jetting away in 2012.  In fact, there is a determined desire to escape from it all with 28 per cent of respondents stating a holiday is vital to their health and wellbeing, and a quarter saying they are prepared to sacrifice other treats throughout the year for their much needed break.
• Luxury breaks are also proving very popular, with double the amount of holidaymakers booking budget busting trips to 5 star luxury resorts than in previous years. 
• Surprisingly, despite all the hype around the Olympics and Euro 2012 at home, the thoughts of a summer of sport makes 64 per cent of people want to escape on a beach holiday.

Savvy holiday choices: 

• With the rising cost of living and many families feeling the pinch, All inclusives are set to be the holiday of choice for families in 2012, mainly because it allows people to budget effectively and set the total cost and pay for their break upfront.  Jet2holidays has seen continued growth in this sector – 60 per cent of family holiday bookings are for all inclusive packages.

It’s Viva España, Dalaman and Crete:

• Britain’s long-term love affair with Spanish hot spots including Alicante, Ibiza, Majorca and Malaga, soars into 2012 – 30 per cent of sun seekers say they are heading to the Iberian Peninsula for their main holiday. 
• Dalaman (Turkey) and Crete are also seeing a peak in interest, with 24 per cent planning an escape to these Eastern Mediterranean resorts.

A taste for culture:

• Tasting local life is the main driver for couples on both 2012 beach and city escapes, with 70 per cent deliberately choosing a destination to savour its authenticity, from sampling traditional delicacies to joining in local customs.
• Shopping and partying are taking a back seat when it comes to city breaks.  Culture and sightseeing instead take priority for almost half of all planned trips. Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, Prague’s St George’s Basilica, Rome’s magnificent Coliseum, and Budapest’s Houses of Parliament are amongst the must-see landmarks in European cities tempting travellers to seek out a more mind-broadening break.

Bonding breaks:

• Multigenerational holidays are set to increase in popularity as an increasing number of families are seeing the financial and childcare benefits of travelling with other family members, particularly grandparents.
• 2012 is also the year of the girly getaway, with 32 per cent planning an all female escape versus only 12 per cent of blokes only breaks.

Steve Heapy, Managing Director of Jet2holidays and Chief Commercial Officer of Jet2.com, said: “The travel landscape is changing with social economic factors meaning travellers want something different from their holidays. Whether they can switch of best by relaxing on a beach or find it more refreshing to explore a new city and culture, we are always monitoring and listening to our customers to review destinations and schedules accordingly.

“2012 is certainly shaping up to be an interesting year but it’s encouraging to see that the majority of people are still making it a priority to jet away on a much needed foreign escape, despite the current turbulent financial climate in the UK and ongoing Eurozone crisis.”

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays offer flights and package holidays to over 50 exciting city, sun and ski destinations.  Those looking for great value trips for 2012 can visit www.jet2.com or www.jet2holidays.com.