October is the New August

 

The colder weather has finally struck for most of the UK this month, and for many of us, memories of our sunshine holidays are getting further away by the hour. Try, then, not to get too jealous at the thought of those Britons whose “summer” holidays are yet to come – unless you are one of those people, in which case – harrumph!

The trend away from peak season holidays has been going on for some time now, as online booking has made it far easier for UK travellers to seek out off-season bargains and tailor their holidays to their own desires. This has led to less holidays being taken in July and August and more cheap holidays being booked for spring and autumn.

According to a new survey published by Skyscanner, this very month is the most popular for British holidaymakers, with a quarter of UK families opting to take cheap holidays abroad in October than at any other time of the year. Almost two thirds of respondents said that this was because prices were lower across the board at their favourite holiday destinations and cheap flights were also easier to come by.

However, there is also another good reason to take your overseas holidays in October, apart from the cost and the joy of escaping the increasingly chilly autumnal weather. Some 23 per cent of those surveyed by Skyscanner said that the weather was better in October for destinations in southern Europe and the Middle East – especially regarding cheap holidays in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. The heat and humidity can be way more than the average Brit can bear in the peak summer months, but by the autumn it is just enjoyably balmy, and perfect for the beach!