Snow and ice in Austria have fueled the desire to travel. Bookings for the summer holidays are already above last year's level. This is shown by the current figures from the travel comparison portal HolidayCheck. Austrians have always used the Christmas holidays and January to start planning their vacation with family and friends.

That's why the organizers are starting the first early bird offers in autumn. For the travel agency industry, the days around the turn of the year until the end of February are high season. As a result, it is now very easy to predict what the travel year 2024 will be like and what trends and tendencies there will be.

By far the greatest interest is in the Turkish Riviera. In terms of prices, the region has been stable since October and is generally the cheapest. “It's still a bit cool for a beach holiday this year at Easter. The region offers ideal conditions for enjoying spring by the sea and many hotels have large indoor pools,” explains Christoph Heinzmann, travel expert at HolidayCheck.

Hurghada is in second place for searches over Easter. Interest from holidaymakers in Marsa Alam has also increased significantly since November. Offers in both Egyptian regions have been falling in price since October. The only exception to this is the Easter holidays. “If you want to swim at Easter, you can hardly avoid Egypt and the demand is driving up the costs,” explains Christoph Heinzmann.

Mallorca is the third most in demand. The good news: the asking prices have been falling consistently since October. On average, prices across the top 15 destinations were +2 percent

Summer vacation 2024

It is not yet clear how much vacation Austrians are allowing themselves this year: “It seems as if families are concentrating on planning their summer vacation. At least we are seeing a significant increase in demand for this period compared to the previous year,” observes Christoph Heinzmann.

In the summer of 2024, interest in the Turkish Riviera is by far the greatest so far. Price-performance in this region is the main argument for many holidaymakers. Mallorca, Crete and Rhodes are also popular. Interest in Gran Canaria has also increased significantly.

Trend towards shorter trips for families

The duration of the trip has become slightly shorter compared to last year. Families spend an average of ten days on vacation during their summer vacation - two days less than in 2023. Across the most popular holiday regions, families pay around 4.200 euros for ten days. With a shorter trip duration, this is an average of three percent more than in the previous year.

It's worth booking early. Saving tips for the summer holidays

Anyone who takes annual leave from October can save a lot of money. This year it has also been shown that prices reach a low point in November. From November until March, early bird offers reduce travel prices. Prices fell over the course of the fall for the United Arab Emirates such as Dubai, Crete, Egypt, Gran Canaria and Tunisia.

The Turkish Riviera, Fuerteventura and Mallorca are stable in price. Lanzarote, Tenerife, Kos, Rhodes and the Turkish Aegean are currently seeing price increases. “The classic holiday regions around Hurghada and Marsa Alam have been consistently lowering prices since October, but the strategy doesn't seem to be working yet. Bookings so far are below last year. “It remains to be seen how the conflict will develop and whether Egypt will experience a last-minute boom,” said Christoph Heinzmann.

Rental cars: Significantly cheaper prices than in 2023 on Mallorca, Sardinia and Lisbon

Users who are now looking for a holiday car are happy to take advantage: there are already a quarter more bookings than in January 2023. “This is certainly due to the lower prices for 2024. The Scandinavian countries and Iceland in particular are being booked more than last year “, explains Erik Weenink, Managing Director of HolidayCheck Rental Cars.

There are significant price reductions compared to 2023 – but not in all regions. These are the HolidayCheck price tips: Prices on Mallorca in July have fallen by up to 47 percent compared to the previous year. Italy is also consistently cheaper than in 2023. For example, a rental car in Sardinia in July costs an average of €280 for a week - that's 25 percent less than last year.

In Lisbon, rental car prices fell by more than 75 percent in mid-July compared to the previous year. “It can be interesting to adjust your travel plans here, because Faro is significantly more expensive,” explains Erik Weenink.

Rental car prices have also fallen in recent months for long-distance trips. However, the price declines here are very region-specific. Prices in South Africa and the USA have remained stable. In Mexico, however, prices became significantly cheaper in July. However, prices in Central America have risen sharply for spring departures. “You have to hurry if you want to get a cheap rental car,” explains rental car expert Erik Weenink.

Overall: If you are flexible, you can save a lot of money on your rental car if you travel in July instead of August - or choose May. The month offers the Whitsun holidays in some federal states, lots of bridging days and very low prices for rental cars throughout the Mediterranean.

Conclusion

“Booking early is worth it – especially for families. Our evaluation of thousands of offers clearly shows this again this year,” explains Christoph Heinzmann. Many people also protect themselves with flex package holidays, which can be canceled or rebooked free of charge or at low cost.

 “If you want a rental car for your summer vacation, you should secure the low prices of the early bird period - and if in doubt, cancel free of charge and book again if the prices move even lower,” recommends Erik Weenink.