‘Sunshine Saturday’: UK firms expect 5% January rise in holiday bookings | Travel & leisure
As winter-weary consumers plan sunny holidays, UK travel companies are gearing up for one of their busiest periods for bookings, with package holiday bookings expected to rise by 5% this January.
The Civil Aviation Authority, the regulator that manages the Atol travel financial protection scheme, predicts 200,000 more holidaymakers will book trips this month compared to 4.3 million in the same period last year.
January is known as boom time for holiday planning; Households desire something to look forward to after Christmas, with demand peaking at weekends, particularly the first month known as Sunshine Saturday due to the large number of bookings within the industry.
However, this year booking patterns are predicted to shift towards quieter destinations and long-haul locations, such as Malta’s sister island Gozo, according to TravelSupermarket.
The price comparison site stated that Gozo was the fastest rising destination of 2026 with a 1,900% increase in searches annually, while Sri Lanka rose 44 places in the rankings with a 605% increase.
TravelSupermarket found that traditional hotspots continue to dominate overall search volumes. While Tenerife retook the 2026 peak, Malta, Egypt, Dubai and Fuerteventura also recorded a sharp rise.
UK travel agency Abta also said many travelers were booking earlier than usual, with a significant number of holidays secured through summer 2026 and even into 2027.
Melissa Hawkins, marketing manager at Dorset Cottage Holidays, said: “Stay bookings for the first weekend after Christmas are up 60% year on year… From what we see, the post-Christmas lull is being used more deliberately.
“People have plenty of room to plan… Short breaks and seasonal stays are becoming particularly popular with families and multi-generational groups who want something simple but high-quality. There is also a visible confidence in booking early.”
A spokesperson for Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “Sunny Saturday is traditionally a busy time for holiday bookings. We expect that to be the case this year as customers flock to book award-winning flights and holidays from the UK’s favorite tour operator and airline.”
TravelSupermarket research also found that Menorca, Lake Como and Sicily saw the steepest declines in search interest. Some destinations in Italy and parts of the Caribbean also cooled down compared to last year.
Data shows Britons are ready to travel further afield, with the average flight time to searched destinations rising by more than 20 minutes year on year; This shows that interest in medium and long-distance travel is increasing.
Rory Boland, editor of Which magazine? Travel has urged consumers not to “feel pressured to book in a hurry” despite this weekend being advertised as “the best time to grab a holiday deal”.
He said: “Weigh your options and shop around to make sure you get the right holiday for you, at the right price. If you’re flexible with your destination, there are offers throughout the year.”
