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WITH its recent research showing that 38 per cent of potential holidaymakers have delayed their decision to book, ABTA has released new data showing what is currently giving people the confidence to travel overseas.
ABTA hopes the findings will give members up-to-date insight into the messages they can use with their customers, to boost their confidence to travel and get bookings over the line.
The research is a snapshot of sentiment following months of headlines of EES queues, travel disruption and restrictions due to the Middle East conflict, and speculation over jet fuel prices and availability. Compared with when it was last run in summer 2025, there are two areas where attitudes have changed in a significant way.*
These are ‘seeing Government advice that the destination is safe to travel to’, with 40 per cent of people now saying this is essential to give them confidence to travel, up from 36 per cent, and ‘knowing that the company I’ve booked with is an ABTA member’, which has risen from 42% to 46% believing this to be ‘essential’ for confidence.
The top ways for people to feel confident about travel remain knowing that ‘they have the right travel documents in place’ (69 per cent say this is essential), followed by being ‘able to get home if my travel company goes bust’ (60 per cent).
ABTA says that all these areas are ones which travel providers can focus on in their consumer communications to help give people the assurance to book.
At the other end of the scale, just 15 per cent say it’s essential for their confidence that they ‘travel to somewhere I feel familiar with or have visited before’. And, despite the difficult roll-out of EES during 2026, 32 per cent of consumers saying ‘being able to easily travel through the airport or port’ is essential for confidence is the same proportion as last summer.
The full list of consumer attitudes to 20 confidence builders is available for ABTA members only, on ABTA’s Member Zone section of its website.
Graeme Buck, ABTA’s Director of Communications, said: “In turbulent times, many people will want more reassurance than usual before they take the plunge and splash out on their holidays. Our research indicates the conversations which can be had with customers, and included in marketing, to give potential customers a confidence boost.
“With FCDO advice gaining more traction as a confidence builder, it reinforces the positive impact we may see among people following last week’s relaxation of guidance on travelling to the Gulf. It’s also a reminder of how important it is to talk to customers about official travel advice and ABTA has guidance for members on how best to do that.
“With a significant change in those wanting to know that the company they’ve booked with is an ABTA member, all our members should benefit from prominently displaying the logo and highlighting their membership in all they do.”
The 'Travel' Life of Brian 