Hundreds of package deals to perennial favourite spots in the Med, Turkey and further afield are available for up to 50% less than peak-season charges.
The last-minute bargains are a reaction to a cost of living crisis that is continuing to bite, meaning families have put travel arrangements on hold – until now.
But in an effort to trigger market movement in the final few weeks of the summer, operators are slashing the cost of no-frills getaways meaning outstanding value is there to be had.
Today easyJet is offering seven nights bed and breakfast in the Mediterranean resort of Antalya, Turkey, for £193, while a seven-night break in Burgas on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, including flights, luggage allowance, and transfers was available for £361 – a £500 saving – with Jet2 Holidays.
Seven-night family-friendly sunshine breaks in perennially popular Majorca, Spain, were available for around £400 per person, also with easyJet.
Meanwhile, thousands of flight-only deals are up for grabs for under £100.
The travel industry hopes a range of eye-catching deals will spark a stampede in late bookings and put a smile on faces after a largely dreary summer season.
Many have been put off committing to a beach holiday because of a continuing cost of living squeeze, but our on-off summer which has seen a frustrating mix of tropical sunshine and torrential rain, coupled with a range of too-good-to-be-true deals, is about to spark an eleventh hour rush.
The breath of astonishing value in traditionally expensive peak-season deals is unheard of and, experts say, symptomatic of a unique situation.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, boss of Advantage Travel Partnership which represents travel agents, said one quarter of bookings last week were for departures this month.
She said: “The British summer isn’t turning out to be one of the best and there are still some great deals around if you want some guaranteed warmth and sunshine.
“Spain, Greece and Turkey are among the most popular destinations to travel to this year. If you are looking to travel further afield, there is still plenty of availability to travel long haul too with Asia, and in particular Thailand, continuing to be strong sellers across our travel agent network, along with the US and the Caribbean.”
A slew of attractive deals means demand for sunshine holidays this year is set to surpass levels not seen since 2019 before Covid travel bans put the brakes on getaways.
Short and mid-haul destinations like Spain, Portugal, Turkey, the Canaries, Balearics, Italy, Malta and the Greek islands remain red hot, but further afield Mexico and Thailand are long-haul favourites.
The last week of August is traditionally a quieter time with families anticipating the return to school at the beginning of September.
Yet industry experts bullishly predict as many as one in three could now head for foreign shores in what remains of the season.
Turkey is one of the hottest destinations due to the exceptional value for money it offers as the lira tanks against the pound.
The bonanza comes as latest Visit Britain estimates suggest one in two – some 29 million people – will take a UK holiday until September bringing a £8.3billion economic boost, supporting businesses and jobs across the battered domestic tourism industry.