Hays Travel claims five-fold increase in 'Sunshine Saturday' bookings

On Saturday (7 January), Hays said customers were keen to "beat the cost of living blues" by securing a break at a bargain price.

As a result of the uptick in demand, most of Hays’ high street stores will open on Sundays, and contact centres have extended hours for the six-week peak holiday-booking period.

Dame Irene Hays, chair and owner of Hays, said: "Despite the cost of living challenges, the last thing people seem to want to give up is their annual holiday.

"Remembering this time last year, when the Omicron variant restricted travel bookings for the first two weeks, we are feeling optimistic for 2023.

"We are focusing on the quality of our customer service, offering great value and, as an independent travel agent, the widest choice to help our customers find the holidays they’re dreaming about."