Brits warned of huge price hikes for summer holidays this year & which top destinations to avoid

BRITS have been warned about rising costs for European holidays this year, with prices set to soar in 2023.

Last year, the price of a holiday was on average 11 per cent higher than it was pre-pandemic and that pattern looks as if it will continue.

Leading figures from the tourism industry have stated that rising energy costs is one of the main reasons why holidaymakers will have to pay more.

One of those was Rita Marques, Portugal’s Secretary of State for Tourism, who told the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) conference in December those costs would be passed onto consumers.

She said: "Everyone is facing rising costs. These costs have to have an impact on prices.

"Energy bills rising has a huge impact, for example with hotels energy bills make up around 15 per cent of their costs."

Additionally, a move towards sustainability is also having an effect, with airlines and hotels having to charge more for greener services.

Those costs are once again going to be picked up by holidaymakers.

Enrique Ybarra, founder and chief executive of City Sightseeing worldwide, told the WTTC conference that customers are "not ready to pay for sustainability".

It means that prices for holidays to popular holiday destinations, like Spain and France, could increase at a steeper rate than usual.

It is not the first warning of rising prices either, with Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, saying last year that surging oil prices will affect the cost of tickets.

He told the BBC: "Flights are getting more expensive because of the high price of oil and it has been clear to everybody that will be reflected in higher ticket prices.

"Flying will be more expensive for consumers, without doubt.

"Oil is the single biggest element of an airlines' cost base. It is inevitable that ultimately the high oil prices will be passed through to consumers."

However, there are some destinations that could provide cheaper alternatives for holidaymakers this year.

Travel expert Simon Calder told the BBC that Portugal has some of the best deals in Western Europe, while places like Bulgaria, Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia are proving popular in the East for 2023.

However, holidaymakers have been told to book trips sooner rather than later.

Some experts are event warning that summer holidays should already have been booked, if people want to get a decent deal for the warmer months.