British Airways: Two Greek Islands See High Increase in 2023 Holiday Package Searches

The Greek islands of Rhodes and Crete are among the top 10 world destinations that showcased the highest increase in holiday package searches in 2023 so far, according to the first ever Travel Trends report by British Airways Holidays, a subsidiary of UK’s airline British Airways.

Considered one of the UK’s leading, largest and most trusted UK holiday companies, British Airways Holidays compiled the top 10 list based on the increase in holiday package searches made on the British Airways website from January 1 to April 25 against the same period in 2019.

According to the survey’s data, Rhodes saw the third highest surge in searches with a 212 percent increase and Crete came in seventh with a 126 percent increase.

Antalya, Turkey and the Maldives claimed the top two spots with Nashville, US and Larnaca, Cyprus rounding up the top 5.

Vai, Crete.

Furthermore, British Airways Holidays’ Travel Trends report combined the company’s insight with that of industry experts, including renowned travel journalists and spokespeople from Marriott International and Mr and Mrs Smith, to reveal what travelers are seeking from their holidays today.

Photo source: British Airways Holidays.

According to the survey the seven key travel trends for 2023 are:

• All-inclusive is in vogue: 41 percent of millennials plan to take an all-inclusive holiday in 2023, more than any other generation
• Seizing the day: Travel is a non-negotiable spend for consumers, with two-thirds saying that travel has become more precious after the pandemic. 63 percent of consumers say that holidays are the main way they treat themselves
• The best of both worlds: Travel is no longer exclusively about relaxation or adventure. Consumers are seeking a combination of both. More than half of adventurous travelers want to spend time with loved ones on holiday
• Conscious consumers: A quarter of UK travelers have taken fewer but longer holidays in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint. The average holidaymaker plans to spend 18 days abroad in just 2.1 trips
• Luxury redefined: Luxury is more about once-in-a-lifetime experiences than it is about 5 star hotels, say 45 percent of consumers
• Control: Consumers are balancing their desire to live for the moment with a need for tighter holiday planning. All-inclusive hotels and holiday packages are the antidote to unexpected costs. It is younger consumers who are embracing this
• Trusted names: More than 70 percent of consumers now that they prefer to book their holidays via trusted providers for extra security

The report’s key findings also included a 2,000 consumers research that asked questions surrounding value, luxury travel, all-inclusive holidays and sustainability.