ABTA Reports Greece as a Steady Holiday Choice for Brits in 2025

Greece remains Britain’s fifth most popular holiday destination for summer 2025, securing an 11 percent market share, according to the 2024-25 Holiday Habits report of ABTA – The Travel Association.

Released during ABTA’s 2024 Travel Convention at Costa Navarino in Greece, the report is based on a survey of 2,000 UK adults conducted from July 24 to August 2, 2024, by The Nursery Research and Planning. It examines travelers’ habits over the past year and their plans for the upcoming one.

In the last 12 months, Greece again ranked fifth among Britons’ preferred holiday destinations, with a 13 percent share, following Spain (31 percent), France (22 percent), Italy (17 percent), and the United States (15 percent).

Source: ABTA

According to ABTA, Europe remains the top choice for UK holidaymakers, with 83 percent visiting the continent this past year. “Europe’s dominance is evident in the top 15 countries visited,” the report notes.

Looking ahead to 2025, Spain continues to top British travelers’ wish lists, while France and the United States have edged out Italy for second and third places. Greece remains a steady fifth choice for British holidaymakers in 2025.

Source: ABTA

2025: A promising year for long-haul travel?

Australia has risen to ninth place, reflecting growing interest in long-haul destinations. More travelers are planning to visit Asia (11 percent, up from 9 percent), Africa (7 percent, up from 5 percent), Australasia (6 percent, up from 4 percent), and South America (5 percent, up from 3 percent).

ABTA’s data also reveals that 45 percent of respondents are likely to visit a new country, a sentiment especially strong among 25-34-year-olds (65 percent), showing increased openness to new destinations.

Shifts in travel timing

ABTA notes a trend toward year-round travel, driven by both consumer demand and expanded travel offerings outside peak summer months.

The Holiday Habits research indicates that travelers without school-aged children are more likely to holiday throughout the year. Young families tend to prefer December (27 percent), likely for festive trips, while families with older children favor summer, with August (23 percent) and July (20 percent) as peak months. Adults without children generally prefer September, taking advantage of quieter travel periods and late summer sun.

Source: ABTA

Other key findings from ABTA’s Holiday Habits 2024-25 report:

– New holiday record: Britons took an average of 3.94 holidays in the past year, the highest since ABTA began tracking in 2011.
– Increase in overseas trips: The average number of trips abroad rose to 1.7 per person, up from 1.45 last year.
– Family travel: Families with young children under five took the most holidays, averaging 6.49 trips, up significantly from previous years.
– Booking with professionals: Thirty-eight percent booked through travel agents, up from 34 percent, valuing the support they offer in case of travel issues.
– Holidays as essential: Only 32 percent of respondents said they’d cut back on holiday spending if needed, indicating travel is a spending priority.

A trade association for UK travel agents, tour operators, and the wider travel industry, ABTA has over 4,300 travel brands in its membership.