- Booking 0-7 days before departure has saved travellers an average of 26pc
- Travelers are refusing to book months in advance
- The average hotel stay has fallen to 3.40 days
- Over 38pc of domestic travellers have planned staycations
- Alternative apartments and rentals have grown 9.9pc this summer
Travelers are refusing to book months in advance with industry data showing that booking 0 to 7 days before departure has saved travellers an average of 26pc as hotels frantically slash unbooked rooms at the final hour.
A survey by hotels.com shows the shift to last-minute booking has represented a significant change in consumer behaviour. Hotels have responded by adjusting their pricing strategies to fill rooms closer to arrival dates. It backs up data from Tui and Cockandgo that close in booking shave grown by a quarter.
The last-minute gamble has become increasingly common as travellers seek to balance their budgets against rising hotel prices. The average hotel stay has fallen to 3.40 days as travellers have shaved days off their trips. Over 38pc of domestic travelers have planned staycations or short regional road trips instead of going abroad.
The trend has contributed to the two-speed tourism reality where hotel prices continue to climb but overnight stays have almost completely flattened. Shorter hotel stays have correlated with a massive rise in alternative tourist apartments and vacation rentals, which grew nearly 9.9pc in overnight stays this summer season.
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