Holidaymakers warned cost of European trips will soar for summer 2023 – and which top destinations to avoid | The Sun

BRITS have been warned about rising costs for European holidays this year, with costs 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."

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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.

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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.

Speaking to the Guardian, several travel specialists warned that summer plans should be made sooner rather than later in 2023.

Karen Hislop, travel manager at Flight Centre Wynnum, said: “If you are travelling in the European summer, i.e. June to August, you really need to be securing at least your flights now."

Meanwhile, Michael Johnson, CEO of Tourism Accommodation Australia added: “It’s fair to say that yes, it may seem to be a little expensive, even when you’re forward booking with plenty of notice, but it’ll be even more expensive if you wait.”

Consumer expert Harry Wallop said he expected package deals to be popular in 2023, as Brits look to lock in prices while they're cheaper.

He told Sun Online Travel: "A lot of families, for them a summer break is pretty sacrosanct and they will trim back all sorts of day to day spending, but they're not going to cancel their summer holiday.

"I think that's why package holidays seem to be enjoying quite a bit of a revival because you can more or less book now and know that is the price you're going to end up paying, especially if it's all inclusive.

"It gives people the peace of mind that, though prices are going up and up, you know what you will end up paying for your holiday.

"I would expect to see package holidays enjoy a really good year next year."

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Meanwhile, a new holiday charge will make trips to the EU more expensive from this year.

And these travel experts revealed the silliest things they've been charged for while on holidays.


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