Brits save £4.92 billion on holidays

Research by Santander Cards has revealed that holidaymakers in Britain saved a collective total of £4.92 billion on holidays last year by cutting out the middle man and booking directly, with those cutting out the middle man saving an average of £423.

The survey shows that of the 22 million adults that holidayed away from the UK last year, 47% (11.6 million) saved money when booking their travel and accommodation by going online or calling directly to make their booking, rather than using a travel agent or tour operator.

The 2,026 adults surveyed put their average holiday spend in 2009 at £1,315, with those avoiding travel agents and tour operators calculating that they saved an average of £423 off their holiday bill by doing so. It is also estimated that 3.3 million Brits saved over £500 or more on holiday bills last year, in accordance with the research’s findings.

The most popular method of saving money was to book online, with 44% of respondents reporting that they had done so. A third of holidaymakers (33%) saved money by contacting accommodation venues directly, while 17% saved money by staying with friends who live abroad.

The research also found that six million Britons asked for an upgrade in the past year, with the most popular requests being for hotel rooms (50%) and aircraft seats (43%). Of those who asked for an upgrade, 60% were successful.
Emma Roberts, Director, Santander Cards, said:
“It’s not surprising that in the current economic climate, holidaymakers are increasingly looking for value and are prepared to do the homework themselves in order to get the best deal. It’s very much a sign of the times too that Britons are no longer shy about asking for an upgrade.”