UK holidaymakers increasingly choose non-EU countries due to 'political turmoil'

Bosphorus bridge, Istanbul, Turkey When: 02 Apr 2013 - Credit: Archant

There has been a 10% rise in UK tourists choosing to travel outside the European Union for their summer holiday this year, thanks in part to ‘political turmoil’ and a weak pound against the euro.

Travel agents Thomas Cook reported that 48% of its package holiday bookings for this summer are outside the EU 27.

The weakness of the pound against the euro is the most likely cause for the trend, said the tour operator.

Turkey, taking a quarter of all their flight-only bookings, has overtaken Greece to become the second most popular holiday destination.

Spain, including the Balearics and the Canary Islands, remains the number one destination, with Greece in third place, USA in fourth, and Cyprus fifth.

Uncertainty around Brexit has also caused people to delay deciding where and when they are going to travel.

Will Waggott, chief of tour operating for Thomas Cook, said: ‘Britain may be living through unique times from a political perspective, however our desire to holiday abroad is clear.

‘Thomas Cook’s 2019 Holiday Report reveals that the political turmoil is having an impact in other ways, revealing itself in a clear shift to non-EU countries and a growth in all-inclusive.

‘Turkey has already overtaken Greece to claim the number two spot of most desirable summer destinations and Tunisia is working its way back up the popularity stakes as it re-establishes itself as a hotspot for British tourists.’