Package prices to Spain slump for autumn departures
Rob GillPrices to leading Spanish destinations have fallen by as much as 38% for departures in September and October compared with two years ago.
Research from comparison site Travelsupermarket analysed current prices for autumn holidays with pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
It found that beach destinations in Spain dominated the list of the “best value” late summer hotspots with Costa Dorada and Costa Brava taking the top two places, while Costa de Almeria saw a 38% drop in average holiday price from 2019.
The company said the costs and administration for holidaymakers of having to take Covid-19 tests was depressing prices for many big-name destinations with some deals for under £150pp for seven nights.
Also in the top 10 for best value were the Algarve and the Greek island of Zante.
But some destinations have seen average package prices rise compared with 2019, including Malta (29% increase) and Dubai (up 24%), as some popular destinations, such as Cancun, the Dominican Republic and Turkey, remained on the red list
Emma Coulthurst, from Travelsupermarket, said: “The Spanish Costas are the place to go if you want to get a low-priced end of summer season break. You won’t get the strong heat of the summer but you can still get 11 hours of sunshine and highs of 22 degrees celsius.
“If you’re looking for even more guaranteed good weather and great prices, Fuerteventura is the best value Canary island.”
Among the other destinations to see significant price drops were Croatia’s Istrian riviera (down 20%), Majorca (-15%) and Crete (-14%).
“Many travel companies are trying to extend the season to make up for the lack of opportunity to travel at the beginning of the summer in May, June and early July,” added Coulthurst.
“If the UK government announces, as anticipated, that PCR testing is being scrapped, we expect a surge in interest for late summer and October, including October half-term from families, who made their plans in the UK this summer as the amber home quarantine wasn’t removed in time for them to opt for a foreign holiday.”
The most popular destinations being booked through the price comparison site in the past two weeks for travel this month or in October were Tenerife, Rhodes, Dubai, Crete and Madeira.
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Rob Gill
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