ABTA’s new Holiday Habits 2025-26 report1 finds more UK people holidayed over the last year, as people continue to prioritise spending on holidays.

The research reveals 87% of people went on holiday over the past 12 months, up from 84% the year before, and almost on par with the decade high of 2019, when 88% of people took a trip. The increase is also reflected in holidays abroad, with 59% heading overseas this past year, up from 53%.

The strong desire to travel is also shown in how people prioritise their spending, with holidays ringfenced as the last area where people are willing to cut back.

Only 28% of people now say they would cut back spending on holidays to cover the day-to-day cost of living, the lowest figure seen over the past few years. That’s compared with people inclined to save on eating out (57%), activities such as going to the cinema (45%), or buying clothes (40%) and electronic gadgets (37%).

Not only are people willing to make spending cuts elsewhere in order to protect their holiday, a growing number expect to spend more on travel next year than last year (34%).

The commitment to travel is underlined by 65% of people saying their holiday is the most important time of the year, and that’s particularly the case for those with children under five (81%) and 25-34 year olds (83%). In addition, 80% say it is important for their mental health, rising to 90% of 25-34 year olds.

ABTA says this willingness to travel should be considered in the wider global context. A changing climate, economic pressures, conflicts and political shifts all have the potential to alter people’s attitudes to overseas travel, yet ABTA’s data and insight from its members suggest people remain resilient and determined when it comes to taking a much-needed break.

It also means there has been little sign of change when it comes to people’s favourite holiday destinations. As examples, Spain retained its top spot as the most visited destination for UK holidaymakers with 32% of people taking a trip there this past year, and the USA held its position as the fourth most popular holiday spot, with 14% of people making the journey across the pond (see end for full list of the top 15 destinations).

A beach holiday continues to be the favourite type of trip, with 48% hitting the beach this year, closely followed by a city break, as 47% sought an urban adventure, up from 43% the previous year.

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive of ABTA – The Travel Association, said: “As a nation, we are ‘determined to discover’ places and experiences through our holidays, whether that’s uncovering new delights in our favourite destinations or exploring a new place entirely, holidays offer lots of opportunity for discovery.

“Despite a challenging and changeable global environment, people are still heading overseas, and even more so this year. It shows we have a resilient sector, and that is often down to the work the travel industry does to help people feel confident to travel.

“People are willing to spend on their holidays, but do so with value for money at the front of their mind. Our report finds that the number one reason people book a package holiday is to get value for money and, similarly, it is among the top reasons for booking with a travel professional.

“As an industry there are lots of reasons to be positive, but we can’t be complacent - particularly recognising that it is a price sensitive market and simple things like a warm summer in the UK can sway bookings.”