British holidaymakers have taken to double-booking in order to secure both a UK and an overseas trip, according to new data, prompting fears of mass cancellations when travel recommences.
“Many holidaymakers have booked both a foreign holiday and a UK stay and our data shows they’re often holding on to both,” says Michael De Jongh, Chief Commercial Officer from hotel technology provider Avvio.
“If they decide at the last minute to risk a holiday abroad, a late rush of cancellations in the UK would create chaos across the whole industry as hotels scramble to fill their suddenly vacant rooms. Many of these just won’t be filled, resulting in tens of millions of pounds in lost revenue.”
He added: “It’s not just about holidaymakers booking both a stay abroad and one in the UK. There’s also a growing trend of booking rooms at multiple UK hotels, with a view to cancelling all but one at the last minute. This causes incredible problems for hotels, in the same way as multiple restaurant bookings did during Eat Out To Help Out.”
Consumer confidence in travel has never been…
