The month of May with its possibilities of long weekends was already conducive to getaways. This year, the trend is reinforced because, for the first time, French-speaking schoolchildren will be on vacation for the first two weeks of May, their new spring break. TUI records record booking figures for this period and notes 3 to 5 times more requests depending on the type of holiday chosen. Many French-speaking travellers will take the plane to seek the sun they miss in Belgium. The majority of them opt for package holidays.
Due to the change in the school calendar, the situation is unprecedented: never had TUI, the first tour operator in Belgium, recorded so many reservations for the first weeks of May. French speakers seem to be leaving the Covid restrictions and the energy crisis behind them and are opting en masse for holidays in the sun. 83% of TUI travellers will take the plane to leave during this spring break and 60% of them even opt for a package holiday: holidaymakers want to have fun, not miss anything, but also to keep an eye on the overall holiday budget.
As for the popular destinations for this spring break, Spain once again wins the prize by attracting more than a third of French-speaking travellers. The majority of them will go to the Canary Islands, with Tenerife in the lead. Greece, whose offer is usually not yet available for the (former) Easter holidays, is starting its season well and comes in 2nd position among the most chosen destinations. Finally, non-European destinations that guarantee excellent value for money and optimal sunshine, such as Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt, are recording strong growth.
Despite inflation, the average budget allocated to air travel is €1,090 and remains the same as in 2022. Spring break is still considered a low-season period. As demand from other European markets is relatively low, prices are advantageous. French speakers will leave for an average of 9 days, which is identical to previous years.
Driving holidays are also very successful, with up to 5 times more bookings compared to previous years. Francophones choose France en masse. Brittany, Languedoc-Roussillon and the Côte d’Azur are on the rise. The Costa Brava (Spain), Costa Dorada (Spain) and Lake Garda (Italy) are recording record growth. This is logical since these destinations have always been among the most popular among French-speaking holidaymakers. The Belgian coast is not to be outdone and comes in 3rd position among the most chosen regions.
No surprise on the side of city trips, since the top 5 is made up of cities that have had enormous success for years. With its long weekends, the month of May is traditionally an ideal time to go on a city trip. Spring break reinforces this trend.
Top 5 countries for air travel: Spain, Greece, Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt
Top 5 regions for air travel: Tenerife, Antalya, Rhodes, Djerba, Majorca
Top 5 driving holidays: France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Germany
Top 5 city trips: Paris, Rome, Barcelona, London, Lisbon
This post was published on 26 April 2023 23:33
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