Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
09 January 2014 09:23
Jamaica in: The Caribbean destination is expected to be highly popular during 'Sunshine Saturday'
Britons are looking to beat the January blues and current stormy weather by booking holidays to sunnier climes this weekend.
A stampede for getaways is likely as travel companies brace themselves for the so-called "Sunshine Saturday" sales rush.
Travel giant Thomson claims it is geared up for over a million people to visit one of its stores or log on to its website over 24 hours.
Of these, 35,000 customers are likely to take out travel insurance on a sunshine vacation, making Saturday, January 11 the most hectic holiday shopping day of 2014.
Thomson and fellow operator First Choice claim over half of all bookings are expected to be secured on a tablet or mobile phone.
Head of marketing, Jeremy Ellis, said that scores of Britons need a break in the sun to look forward to with Christmas firmly taken care of.
Mr Ellis said: "Over the last few years we've seen a trend towards booking holidays earlier and with record bookings over Christmas we're expecting the rush to continue with our busiest day of year this Saturday."
He said it is also the best time for Brits to benefit from some of the "great" January deals.
Holidaymakers are likely to book trips to Europe and more exotic hotspots such as Jamaica and Mauritius, which are both famed for their paradisal beaches, crystal-clear blue waters and emphasis on fun.
But Greece, the Balearics and the beautiful, emerging resort of Croatia, with its fascinating walled city of Dubrovnik, are expected to be the favourite destinations.
The Association of British Travel Agents said that members are reporting robust bookings and it expects this weekend and the next few weeks to be busy.
Thomson and First Choice claim bookings on Christmas Day and Boxing Day via their websites and phone lines were up 10% on 2013.
20 September 2017
Thousands of Ryanair flights have been cancelled over the next six weeks, as the airline says it "messed up" allocation of its pilots' annual leave.
[more...]
19 September 2017
Manchester's Girlguides are being urged to help the elderly with a new badge incentivising youngsters to tackle senior loneliness.
16 September 2017
Holidaymakers are being evacuated as winds up to 200km per hour hit Central Vietnam, with Typhoon Doksuri damaging houses, roads and infrastructure.
15 September 2017
People in parts of East Anglia are eight times more likely to survive liver disease than Blackpool residents, according to new data by Public Health England (PHE).
14 September 2017
A non-invasive alternative to gastric bypass surgery that helps people with Type 2 diabetes lose weight is being recommended for widespread use by NHS experts.
13 September 2017
Almost half of UK adults travelling to areas at risk of malaria are not covering themselves by taking medication, despite recommendations made by the NHS and world health organisations.
12 September 2017
A new health warning has been issued by scientists in Sweden, suggesting e-cigarettes with nicotine could lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
09 September 2017
Researchers have developed a futuristic pen-like device that can tell whether someone has cancer much faster than current technology.
08 September 2017
A staffing crisis in the NHS is seeing cancer patients turned away from their GP surgery and instead visiting A&E, a report has claimed.
07 September 2017
Whether it's binge-watching box-sets, shopping for clothes, chatting to friends or picking up work emails, staying connected is pretty much essential to everyday life.
06 September 2017
Around 1 in 2 GPs do not know that black men have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer, research has suggested.
05 September 2017
Many middle-aged men have hearts in a condition that makes the organ seem older than the men's actual age, a new study has revealed.