Brits Will Spend a Fifth Less On 2011 Holidays

Average Summer Holiday Budget Slashed by Nearly a Fifth as Value Becomes King

CHESTER, England, January 20, 2011 - Hard-up Brits may be feeling the pinch, but when it comes to getting away
the majority aren't prepared to give up their holiday, according to research
from travelsupermarket.com (www.travelsupermarket.com/holidays/). The
poll of over 2,000 adults* revealed that just 11 per cent of Brits definitely
won't be going on holiday next year - slightly up on ten per cent last year.
However the amount they are prepared to spend on their main holiday has
fallen considerably - by nearly a fifth.

A year ago the average Brit was prepared to spend GBP1,014 per person on
their main holiday, but fast forward to 2011 and this has dropped to GBP829.
The research indicates a clear shift in spending habits amongst Brits - six
months ago 43 per cent identified cost as a key factor when booking their
holiday, but this figure has now surged to 78 per cent. It now towers over
the traditional importance of weather (37 per cent) and facilities (37 per
cent) when it comes to the 2011 getaway.

The research, the fourth bi-annual poll commissioned by
travelsupermarket.com, includes a Holiday Spending Money Index, which found
that current weekly spending levels (not including flights and accommodation)
are also down three per cent on July 2010 from GBP307 to GBP298. And there is
a continued dependence on credit cards - seven per cent will be relying on
the plastic for spending money compared to six per cent last year.

It appears that when it comes to the sexes, women are watching the wallet
a little more carefully - although both men and women are budgeting less than
they have previously. Of those who do budget, men will take an average of
GBP334 a week per person, down from GBP348 six months ago, but still well
above the figure from a year ago which was GBP313. For women, the figure is
steadily decreasing - they are budgeting GBP258, which is down from GBP265
six months ago and GBP278 a year ago.

Those from Northern Ireland are still the biggest spenders, budgeting
GBP373, an average of GBP40 more than the nearest region - London. However
this is down from GBP420 six months ago. Those in the Midlands appear to be
the most frugal, with those in the East Midlands budgeting GBP256 and West
Midlands GBP273.

    POSITION REGION      HIGHER /   AVERAGE HOLIDAY SPENDING MONEY
                                           (PER PERSON PER WEEK)
                         LOWER
                         (last        Jan-11   Jul-10   Jan-10   Jul-09
                          position)
    1 Northern Ireland   = (1)        GBP373   GBP420   GBP327   GBP316
    2 London             = (2)        GBP333   GBP350   GBP331   GBP366
    3 North West         + (9)        GBP324   GBP287   GBP315   GBP329
    4 Wales              + (6)        GBP305   GBP306   GBP313   GBP336
    5 North East         = (5)        GBP304   GBP308   GBP304   GBP291
    6 Scotland           - (3)        GBP303   GBP342   GBP312   GBP312
    7 South East         = (7)        GBP295   GBP298   GBP291   GBP288
    8 South West         - (4)        GBP287   GBP315   GBP276   GBP293
    9 Yorkshire and      + (12)       GBP279   GBP281   GBP283   GBP293
      Humberside
    10 East of England   + (11)       GBP277   GBP285   GBP236   GBP271
    11 West Midlands     - (8)        GBP273   GBP290   GBP286   GBP244
    12 East Midlands     - (10)       GBP256   GBP285   GBP305   GBP270

Research commissioned by www.travelsupermarket.com/

And when it comes to the overall holiday, men are slightly happier to
flash the cash - they are prepared to pay on average GBP922 per person for
their main summer holiday compared to GBP740 for women. Those in the South
East are prepared to spend the most on their main holiday (GBP960) closely
followed by Londoners (GBP950).

Perhaps surprisingly despite recent holiday company collapses, the misery
caused by the ash cloud and all the issues snow has presented in recent
weeks, the number of people who ensure their holiday is ATOL protected has
gone down from 21 per cent six months ago to just 18 per cent.

Bob Atkinson, travel expert from travelsupermarket.com, said: "It appears
that when it comes to luxuries, holidays are one thing Brits simply aren't
prepared to give up. In order to get away however, a whopping three quarters
of Brits will be looking for deals and best value as their key determining
factor when booking a holiday.

"Pre-holiday research is the key - invest a bit of time in investigating
to see what good deals or added extras are out there. It's certainly
encouraging to see that 47 per cent of Brits shop around to get the best deal
when it comes to travel - but the real question is why aren't the other 53
per cent?

"And with all the unrest in the holiday industry I'm shocked that more
people still don't see ATOL as important when booking their holiday. Even if
you get the cheapest deal in the world, you could still lose it all if
something happens to the company."

Bob Atkinson's tops money saving tips:

    - Set yourself a maximum budget - considering both your spending money
    and the cost of booking travel and accommodation, try and stick to it
    and don't stretch yourself too far financially.

    - Do lots of online research - on your favourite holiday companies,
    airlines and travel sites and compare offers on a price comparison
    website such as travelsupermarket.com as you may be able to find
    companies that you have not heard of with an ever better deal.

    - Focus on the final price for your holiday - when comparing offers and
    deals, how much will you pay today and how much will the deposit be?
    Don't just focus on the discount message and any freebies. Is it within
    your budget guidelines?

    - Don't rely on the 'freebies' - if considering a package holiday with
    free child places, ensure you get a price with both a free place and also
    a second quote with a child price. Sometimes 'free' places can cost more
    due to extra charges tour operators make for under occupancy.

    - Beware of low deposit deals - you often have to pay the remainder of
    the full deposit within only a few weeks, so it is only an introductory
    offer from many companies as opposed to a genuine long term saving.

    - Think about your board basis - all inclusive holidays (
    www.travelsupermarket.com/c/holidays/all-inclusive/) allow you to
    set your budget here in the UK and keep a check on extras when away.
    Self-catering will allow you to make and prepare your own food and avoid
    eating out - great when you have small children to cater for. Or choose
    hotels on B&B, half board or full board.

    - Think about where you plan to go - what is the cost of living like?
    Will you be able to get away with a smaller amount of spending money or
    will you need to dig deep for cash in more expensive destinations?

    - Consider where you stay - it may be cheaper outside of the city or
    resort, however you may end up paying more for taxis and travelling
    around to and from the beach or attractions. Book somewhere that has good
    access to public transport. If hiring a car, check you have somewhere to
    park close to your accommodation that won't cost a fortune.

    - Book before it goes - when you get a price and a deal you are happy
    with, get it. Prices for holidays, flights and hotels can change quickly
    so don't miss out on a cracking deal. It is unlikely that a cheaper deal
    will come along once you have done a full check of availability.

    - Check your deal has ATOL cover - if it doesn't then ensure you have
    either full protection insurance from your holiday company that covers
    all elements of the booking. Or take out travel insurance immediately
    with 'End Supplier Failure' in case anything goes wrong with the company,
    airline or hotel you are booked with. Pay by credit card or Visa debit
    card where possible for additional protection.

    - Use a price comparison site to compare prices on package holidays -
    travelsupermarket.com has a revamped search that allows you to leave the
    destination open to get an idea of prices across many destinations; once
    you have a destination you can use the date tab at the top to see if it
    is cheaper travelling up to three days either side of your requested
    date; and on the results page you can use filters to check out, for
    example, if a 4* hotel is cheaper than a 3*, or narrow the results down
    to one of your favourite brands.

    - Don't forget to budget for all those extras - airport parking,
    transfers, car hire and baggage costs, the earlier you book, the more you
    save.

* All figures, unless otherwise stated, taken from research carried out
on behalf of travelsupermarket.com by Opinium from 30 Dec 2010 - 4 Jan 2011,
among 2,153 British adults (18+).

Travel comparison site travelsupermarket.com is conducting a six monthly
poll of over 2000 people called the Consumer Travel Barometer, the first of
which was in July 2009. It's an ongoing tracker of Brits' views on holidays
and travel. The barometer is a snapshot of British attitudes to holidays - to
go away or not to go away, what type of holiday, where to go and how much to
spend.

About travelsupermarket.com

travelsupermarket.com/ is an online comparison service where
customers can find the best value travel options for their needs and purchase
over the internet. The website compares flights, car hire, hotels, cruise,
package holidays plus dynamic packaging by searching hundreds of travel
websites. The information supplied is unbiased and is designed to save the
customer time and money.

The site thrives on offering its users accurate real time availability by
taking information directly from suppliers such as Opodo, British Airways,
Thomas Cook, First Choice, Radisson, Sol Melia, easyCar, Auto-Europe and many
more, ensuring users are presented the best possible price at all times. It
searches:

    - Over 650 scheduled, low cost and charter airlines from 39 individual
    suppliers

    - Over 200,000 individual hotels from over 42 individual hotel suppliers

    - Over 200 individual car hire providers from over 21 suppliers

    - 1,000s of individual package holidays from over 34 suppliers

Additionally, travelsupermarket.com also compares prices on travel
insurance and on airport car parking.

travelsupermarket.com is part of the Moneysupermarket.com Group PLC.

www.moneysupermarket.com/ is a website where consumers can compare
personal finance products, save money and apply online. The website has
several service areas including personal loans, credit cards, mortgages,
current accounts, savings accounts, motor insurance, home insurance, travel
insurance, health insurance, mobile phones, broadband and shopping.

travelsupermarket.com won 'Best Meta Search/Price Comparison Website' and
'Online Travel Brand of the Year' at the Travolution Awards 2009.

    For further press information contact:

    Emma Morris
    travelsupermarket.com
    emma.morris@travelsupermarket.com
    +44(0)1244-220-671

Emma Morris, travelsupermarket.com, emma.morris at travelsupermarket.com, +44(0)1244-220-671