Both Tui, Ving and Apollo have noticed during the beginning of August a large increase in travel bookings for autumn and winter – both compared to earlier this summer and compared to the same period last year.
All three companies give the same explanation for the rise: the weather.
– We have seen a clear increase during the recent torrential downpour and the bookings are clearly very linked to the weather. But at the same time, we have also seen a general increase over time, and I think that has to do with a continued increased desire to travel after the pandemic, says Martina Krantz, press officer at Apollo.
Weak crown no obstacle
The currently weak Swedish currency also does not seem to deter Swedes from booking trips abroad this autumn.
— Many have talked about the weak krona and that people would travel less because of it. But we see no direct connection to that, but it is primarily the weather in Sweden that plays a role, says Martina Krantz.
Claes Pellvik, communications manager at Ving, gives a similar picture.
— The currency affects when it comes to longer trips, for example to the United States and where you need money for taxi trips and entrance fees and the like. There we see a decline. But that is not the case with slightly shorter winter trips where you plan to be away for a week or so for a change of environment, he says.
— We seem to want to consume experiences over gadgets.
Returning to Rhodes
Rising destination trends include Mexico and Cape Verde, but mostly the trips are booked to classic charter destinations such as Mallorca, the Canary Islands and Greece.
Rhodes was hit earlier this summer by extensive fires, but already now the tourists seem to be finding their way back.
— A little over a week after we resumed travel, bookings were back to normal levels, or even slightly above. There is still very strong demand for trips to Rhodes, says Dian Martinez Valencia, communications manager at Tui Sweden.