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FINDINGS from ABTA’s Holiday Habits 2025-26 report reinforce the importance people place on travel agents and operators to provide fantastic holidays with excellent customer service and value for money.
A third (34 per cent) of people used a travel professional to book their holiday over the last 12 months, with ease of booking the most common reason for doing so (57 per cent), followed by saving time (42 per cent).
The number of people saying they felt more confident having booked through an agent or operator increased by five percentage points at 41 per cent this year, compared with 36 per cent the previous 12 months. This perhaps reflects the important role of travel professionals in supporting their customers, and rebooking arrangements, in the face of any change, challenge or disruption.
Being able to accommodate customers’ specific requirements and needs is also reflected in the responses, with 16% saying it helps with ensuring that any disability or mobility requirements are factored in.
Not only do people appreciate the role travel professionals have in organising their holiday, one in five (22 per cent) also say they had a better holiday as a result of booking with them – rising to 30 per cent of 18-24 year olds.
ABTA’s report also shows value for money is front and centre of the decisions people are making about their holiday, with 43 per cent of people booking a package holiday because it was the best option for the price, rising to 47 per cent of 18-24 year olds. It is also the most common reason why people booked a package.
Similarly, value for money was cited by 39 per cent of people as the reason why they booked with a travel professional.
Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive at ABTA – The Travel Association, said:“At ABTA we know all too well the added value our members – travel agents and tour operators – bring to people’s holiday.
“While people benefit from the good deals agents and operators can secure, they also appreciate their value in lots of other ways, including the confidence they get to travel, access to expertise, and making life easier by handling all of the travel arrangements. All in all this makes for a better holiday.”
ABTA Holiday Habits 2025-26 report is available to download from www.abta.com/holidayhabits2025-26
The 'Travel' Life of Brian 