Value for money remains top reason for booking a package holiday

Findings from the ABTA’s Holiday Habits 2025-26 report, released at the Travel Convention in Calvià, reinforce the importance people place on travel agents and operators to provide fantastic holidays with excellent customer service and value for money.

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive at ABTA – The Travel Association, shared:
“At ABTA we know all too well the added value our members – travel agents and tour operators – bring to people’s holiday.”

He added,
“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.”

Some key statistics from the report include:

• 34% of people used a travel professional to book their holiday over the last year, primarily for ease of booking (57%) and time-saving (42%).
• The number of people feeling more confident booking through an agent increased to 41% this year.
• 16% reported that agents help accommodate special needs for disability or mobility requirements.

Moreover, one-in-five (22%) indicated they had a superior holiday experience thanks to booking with a travel professional.
ABTA also noted that value for money drives the decisions of consumers, with 43% citing it as the main reason for choosing a package holiday.