Travel agents in the UK are advocating for a significant adjustment to school holiday schedules, aiming to alleviate financial burdens on families. The Advantage Travel Partnership, representing over 4,000 travel agents, is pushing for a complete transformation of the current school holiday system to prevent families with children in state schools from facing exorbitant costs.
Currently, there is a substantial price increase for vacations taken in the latter part of July and August, coinciding with the summer holidays of most UK schoolchildren. Families risk paying an additional £388 per person if they choose to travel outside school term times. Research indicates that a family of four can expect an average extra cost of £716 when traveling during school holidays compared to term time, with the expenses escalating even further during the six-week summer break.
The inflated expenses have led some families to consider paying fines for taking their children out of school during term time. To address these challenges, Julia Lo Bue-Said, the CEO of Advantage Travel Partnership, is urging the Department for Education to restructure the school holiday calendar. This adjustment would offer families the flexibility to plan trips at different intervals, potentially balancing demand and reducing prices.
The proposal suggests shortening summer holidays and extending the May half-term or staggering half-term breaks across the country, as practiced in nations like Sweden. The current system disproportionately affects families with children in state schools, as private schools typically have longer holidays, enabling them to access more affordable travel options in June and early July.
Julia emphasized the urgency of engaging in a national dialogue on this issue, particularly as travel trends show increased interest in the shoulder seasons of May and September. Additionally, rising temperatures in southern European countries during the summer holidays have diminished the appeal of traditional Mediterranean getaways.
As the travel industry continues to innovate with cost-effective travel solutions, the call for constructive discussions with policymakers remains essential to address the challenges faced by families seeking affordable and flexible vacation opportunities.
