Package holidays are reclaiming ground lost in recent years to the independent travel market, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Their data shows that traditional package holidays have made an unheralded comeback since 2008, when the sector accounted for just 37% of the market, as holidaymakers increasingly plump for all-inclusive deals to keep within tight budgets.
Package deals offered by the likes of First Choice, Thomson and Thomas Cook now account for over 40% of the sector.
Peter Long, chief executive of TUI Travel (owner of First Choice and Thomson) said: “When you look at our typical customers who take a package with us once a year, maybe every other year, they are not seasoned travellers, they are hard-working people who want a break in the sunshine. They want peace of mind and not be screaming at each other when something has gone wrong.
“After many years of volume drops, the package holiday appears to be back in vogue.”