Long and the short of it

The research, based on more than three million holidays, reveals a significant rise in the number of people shrinking their holidays, from seven nights to four, or from 14 down to 10.

The percentage of four-night holidays being sold has leapt by 50 per cent, while sales of 10-night breaks have soared 162 per cent. Meanwhile, there’s a sharp fall in numbers booking both one- and two-week holidays.

Nigel Harris, director of Artemis Travel (www.artemistravel.co.uk), confirms the trend: “This year, people are incredibly price-led when they choose a holiday”, he says. “It’s ‘what can we afford?’ rather than ‘where are we going?’

“As customers find flights and taxes costing more than last year, we have to cut accommodation prices to ensure they still travel.

“We have villas sleeping eight in Turkey this May costing a total £189 per week to rent. With flights costing under £100 each way, a week’s holiday still costs less than £250.”

However, the research also suggests that downsizing can be a false economy for many travellers, as the average per night cost of shorter breaks can be much higher than their traditional equivalents. For example, the average per night price of a 14-night holiday is £65.19 against £82.70 for a 10-night break. Similarly, seven nights works out at £74.71 per night, against £112.59 for a four-night equivalent.

Trevor Davis, director at Co-operative Travel (www.co-operativetravel.co.uk) says: “For a number of years, travel agents have offered totally flexible holiday bookings, giving customers the opportunity to tailor a trip to meet their exact requirements.

“Many people have seen this as an opportunity to try to make their holiday budget stretch further, shaving a few days off their break in an effort to reduce costs. This saves money on living expenses or extras, such as a hire car, but may mean you don’t get the best value for money as far as your actual booking is concerned.

“The mainstream holiday industry is still based on weekly blocks, with hotels and flight capacity based around set ‘changeover’ days.

“For this reason, anything that breaks the norm is often penalised with higher prices.

However, Harris says penny-pinching travellers should always compare prices of packages with a DIY holiday, where flights and accommodation might be purchased separately.