Britons Take Six Weeks To Commit To Holiday Bookings, On Average

Booking a holiday can be tough in today's day an age; simply because there is so much choice now and the internet is awash with option after option for accommodation, flights, transfers and everything else that goes in to putting a holiday together!

In our latest poll, we spoke to 2,131 people aged 18 and over from all around the UK who'd been on a holiday abroad in the last 12 months and asked them questions about the booking process for their trip. Everyone taking part had been the lead booker of the holiday (i.e. the person responsible for organising the travel and hotel bookings). With great power comes great responsibility!

Indecisiveness, Too Much Choice + Finances To Blame For Holiday Commitment Delays

When we asked those taking part 'How long was it between you choosing a destination to visit and committing to booking somewhere to stay there?' the average length of time given by respondents once all answers were taken into account was 'six weeks'. When we asked what factors played a part in the time it took them to commit to a booking, the top five answers given to us were as follows:

1. I'm indecisive - 44%

2. Too much accommodation choice - 35%

3. I had to wait to be paid/be able to afford it - 21%

4. I was too busy/took time to get around to it - 8%

5. I wanted to do some research (e.g. reviews etc.) - 5%

Everyone taking part was asked how they felt about the holiday booking process, with 54% admitting that - as the lead booker - they felt 'under pressure' to make the right decision in terms of where to go and stay. Despite this, 62% of the respondents told us that they liked how 'in control' they could be when booking a holiday, in terms of the amount of choice and resources available to them.

30 Hours Spent On Holiday Booking Process In Total

When we asked how many hours the people we spoke to put in to booking their holiday over that average six week period, taking into account any research they did online or any other activity relating to their booking, the average length of time stated was five hours per week; equating to 30 hours in total. That's more than an entire day!

With so many options for holidaymakers out there now, such as holiday lets and other self catering stays to 5* hotels, villas and even newfangled glamping pods, it's no wonder that people end up taking their time to book something. Even when a decision is made, it's common to change your mind several times before settling on the perfect place to visit and stay for a holiday. We think it's good that people aren't rushing into their holiday bookings, because that could lead to regret. However, it's best not to over-think things too!