Many Britons are turning their backs on Spain in favour of Turkey as a summer holiday destination, it was claimed yesterday.
Many Britons are turning their backs on Spain in favour of Turkey as a summer holiday destination, it was claimed yesterday.
New figures show that Turkey has overtaken Spain this year as the number one destination for two weeks in the sun this summer for the first time for some UK travellers.
The Co-op's analysis of holiday bookings shows the average selling price of a holiday to Turkey is as much as £108 cheaper than to Majorca - £357 compared to £465.
The number one place is Dalaman, situated in the Mugla Province in the west of Turkey, in an area of natural beauty lying between the mountains and the sea.
If true, the apparent new trend in favour of Turkey would represent a "seismic shift" in holiday bookings as Spain has been the UK's top choice since the package holiday boom began almost 40 years ago.
However, one leading Scottish travel agent said many Scots were remaining loyal to Spain and in particular Majorca.
Travel association Abta also said it believed Spain was still the number one choice for most both north and south of the Border, despite what it described as Turkey's "spectacular growth".
Co-op Travel made the initial claim after it analysed more than 200,000 package holiday and flight only bookings to 30 top foreign holiday destinations across all major UK tour operators.
Nearly one-third more Britons are heading to Turkey this summer compared to the same period last year, Co-op claimed.
Bookings to Majorca, the previous top choice, are down 13% as the soaring euro takes effect, Co-op said.
However, according to the research, the euro may not be totally to blame.
Since the merger of holiday giants such as Thomas Cook and MyTravel and Thomson and First Choice, operators have reduced supply to short-haul western Mediterranean resorts such as mainland Spain and the Balearics.
At the start of the summer 2008 booking season Thomson's parent company, TUI, announced cuts in holiday capacity of 12% while Thomas Cook slashed the former MyTravel holiday programme by as much as 23%.
Trevor Davis, head of retail distribution at Co-op Travel, said: "Bookings from people looking for cheap summer sun have traditionally ensured that Spain was the leading holiday destination.
"However, this year they are finding the high euro and a shortage of availability means the normal late deals are not available.
"Turkey has benefited most from this trend and we are seeing 30% growth in bookings for holidays across all parts of the country."
A spokesman for Abta, which represents more than 5500 travel agencies, challenged the findings of the Co-op survey.
He said: "Countries outside of the eurozone, in particular Turkey and Egypt, on short-haul trips have shown spectacular growth this summer.
"However, for most of our members, Spain is still by far the most popular destination because even with a strengthening euro it still offers extremely good value and there is a very strong loyalty factor to the country."
Bill Munro, of Barrhead Travel, one of the biggest independent agents in the UK, said: "I'm not sure about England but the Scottish people definitely like Spain and in particular Majorca.
"Although it is more expensive to go there and prices are up compared to Turkey, Spain is still the favourite place."
