Holiday habits are changing for 2017

More Wiganers are giving Turkey and north Africa a wide berth as a holiday destination as terror attacks and unrest continue.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Jan 2017, 10:00 BST
Updated 9th Jan 2017, 13:21 BST
Spain is still one of Wiganers' most popular holiday destinationsSpain is still one of Wiganers' most popular holiday destinations
Spain is still one of Wiganers' most popular holiday destinations

But old favourites such as Spain, the Canary Islands and the Balearics remain as popular as ever.

The Wigan Evening Post surveyed borough travel agents to see if 2017 was likely to bring any changes to overseas jaunts.

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Even as the research was being conducted, news came through of a car bombing and shooting in the Turkish city of Izmir.

Turkey has taken a hit as a holiday destination because of recent terrorist violence and public unrestTurkey has taken a hit as a holiday destination because of recent terrorist violence and public unrest
Turkey has taken a hit as a holiday destination because of recent terrorist violence and public unrest

But some defiant borough residents are pressing ahead with their holiday plans for Turkey and other countries which have suffered security alerts such as Egypt and Tunisia nonetheless.

Holiday Getaway says it has seen a rise in the popularity of long haul breaks to places such as Las Vegas, Mexico, Thailand and the Caribbean.

World Choice have also taken more bookings for Croatia, with more Wiganers opting for a summer holiday on the Adriatic coast than ever before.

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Disruption in Tunisia, Egypt and Turkey have seen tour operators cancelling holidays. World Choice are still running packages to Turkey and Egypt but have seen a decline in holidaymakers going.

Turkey has taken a hit as a holiday destination because of recent terrorist violence and public unrestTurkey has taken a hit as a holiday destination because of recent terrorist violence and public unrest
Turkey has taken a hit as a holiday destination because of recent terrorist violence and public unrest

Gill Blundell from World Choice said: “Turkey and Egypt offer fantastic family holiday destinations but parents aren’t taking their children somewhere they don’t feel safe.”

Holiday Getaway has also suffered from Turkey declining but see regulars continuing to book for 2017.

Spokeswoman Chelsey Waring said: “Wigan holidaymakers love a bargain and enjoy visiting places out of the Eurozone because it often makes a cheaper holiday, Turkey is perfect for that.”

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Bulgaria, which does not have the Euro, continues to increase as a popular tourist destination for Wigan jetsetters.

With the weakened euro, Wiganers holidaying inside the Eurozone are cutting spending money.

Early summer bookings for World Travel and Thomas Cook see all-inclusive hotels becoming more popular in the Canary Islands. Tenerife, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria have doubled in popularity since last summer.

And Thomas Cook has seen a 76 per cent rise in sales for Greece this summer, compared to the previous year.

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Greece is now the most popular single-searched destination on the Thomas Cook website, making the holiday giant add more hotels to the hotspot.

A rise in Wiganers booking at South African holiday is also expected this winter, as the rand’s exchange rate makes it a more affordable destination.

Related topics:TurkeyAfricaEgyptSpain