Britain’s Travel Association, formerly known as the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), recently released its ‘top 23 for 23’ list, detailing the 23 most popular destinations people say they plan to visit this year, with Cyprus featuring among the top ten countries included in this list. 

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“Staying closer to home seems to be the preference for most people, with a large proportion of the list being short to mid-haul destinations such as Spain, Turkey and the UAE, but destinations including the USA, Mexico, Thailand and Australia continue to have their draw as long-haul favourites,” the association said.

According to the report, Cyprus is the tenth most popular destination for British holidaymakers for 2023.

Neighbouring countries Greece and Turkey are in fifth and ninth place respectively, while Spain, the United States, and France took the top three spots.

Cyprus’ placement among British holidaymakers puts it ahead of fellow Mediterranean country Egypt, which is in 21st place, as well as Austria, Thailand, Croatia, Norway, Iceland and Belgium.

The list was released alongside a report on Saturday, January 7, which the association describes as a bumper day for holiday bookings, with would-be holidaymakers both hitting the high street and going online to book their holidays early in order to avoid paying higher prices down the line.

The association explained that the first Saturday after the Christmas and New Year break is dubbed ‘Sunshine Saturday’ by the UK travel industry, because it is usually the most popular day of the year to book a foreign trip. 

“ABTA research finds that 61 per cent of people are planning to head abroad this year and around a third (31 per cent) of people say they’re planning to book earlier than normal in order to get the best price for their holiday,” the association said.

“This Sunshine Saturday is expected to be one of the busiest for a number of years now that holidaymakers are no longer facing a heavy burden of Covid travel restrictions,” it added.

What is more, the association explained that the lack of travel during the Covid-19 pandemic appears to have provided a boost to the love which many people possess for travelling.

According to the latest figures from ABTA, 66 per cent of people have said that going on holiday is very important to them.

“Many people intend to prioritise their holidays ahead of any other discretionary spending like eating out, leisure activities or buying new clothes,” the association stated.

“The start of the year usually brings lots of enthusiasm for booking holidays and we know many people will be really looking forward to getting away in 2023,” ABTA Chief Executive Mark Tanzer, said.

“People’s appetite for holiday taking has remained remarkably resilient despite the ongoing pressure on people’s finances, though there’s definitely a strong focus on securing great value for money,” he added.

“Our number one piece of advice is to book with a reputable travel company, such as an ABTA Member travel agent or tour operator, who can help you find the holiday you’re looking for at the price you want to pay,” Tanzer concluded.

 

Credits: Cyprus Mail {cyprus-mail.com}