This report outlines the findings from ABTA’s annual research among UK consumers to better understand their holiday habits: what they’re booking, how they’re booking and what they’re thinking about for the year ahead.

The past 12 months have been an extraordinary time for the travel industry.

We have seen positive signs of growth with Members reporting sales up year-on-year and a strong summer season. Our research findings suggest that this growth is being driven by more affluent consumers. Our report shows that the average number of holidays taken per person is increasing while at the same time there has been a continued slight decline in the total number of people taking a holiday.

Summer 2015 was one of the most challenging periods in the history of the industry. While we are well versed in managing incidents and issues, the scale and nature of the appalling terrorist attack in Tunisia, along with the intense period of financial uncertainty surrounding Greece, at the peak of its tourist season, sent shockwaves through our industry.

While the threat of terrorism in the UK and further afield remains, the incidents and uncertainties of the summer do not appear to have deterred Brits from taking holidays. We saw a strong late booking market and our research suggests a positive outlook for 2016, with more consumers saying that they will spend more than those looking to cut back.

I hope you find the research useful. If you would like further information on any aspect of the research please don’t hesitate to contact our PR team press@abta.co.uk.

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive