The Advantage Travel Partnership is anticipating its cruise sales to outperform in the off-peak and shoulder seasons next year

According to a recent insight study into consumer booking behaviours, the consortium has seen demand for sailings accelerate, despite cruise only representing around 3 per cent of global leisure travel by passenger numbers.

“With new ships and sustained marketing investment, cruise is undoubtedly one of the standout growth segments for the next 12 months,” the company said. In 2025, cruise bookings rose by 5 per cent for the company, with winter sun holidays increasing by 10 per cent.

Advantage further reported a 12 percent rise in overall bookings compared to 2024 for travel over Christmas, with festive trips to Lapland in particular proving extremely popular with bookings up 30 percent on last year whilst city breaks to destinations with popular Christmas markets such as Prague, Krakow and Berlin have taken 13 percent of overall bookings.

The company has seen long haul travel demand generally remain in line with 2024, however, the usually popular Dubai and the Caribbean have seen a decline in bookings compared to last year, with the Far East continuing to remain popular with a 13 percent rise in bookings.

For short haul travel, the Canary Islands remains the most popular winter destination for British travellers with bookings rising by 16 percent in 2025.

Looking ahead to 2026, Advantage is tracking ahead of last year by 24 percent in bookings so far. As expected, summer holidays are leading the way, with bookings up 27 percent and taking a 49 percent share of 2026 travel.

While some are still booking last-minute deals, the dominant trend for 2026 appears to be shifting towards ultra-early bookings for increased value for money. Advantage is already seeing bookings for 2026/2027 winter holidays up by 24 percent and currently taking 6 percent of overall bookings.

This year, the company said, was a “turmoil year” for travel to America, marked by a tourism slump due to political rhetoric, policy shifts, and a strained aviation system, leading to fewer international visitors.

Bookings to the United States for 2026 however are up 20 percent largely driven by major events such as the FIFA World Cup which will feature both England and Scotland as well as an increase in immersive experience destinations such as the deep south states.

Julia Lo Bue-Said OBE, CEO of Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “Across our membership of independent travel agencies we have seen a strong performance throughout 2025 and it’s great that we’re ending the year on a high.

“The strength of trading throughout 2025 reflects the resilience of both our travel agent partners and the broader travel sector. For 2026, world events, competitive pressure from other source markets, and shifting consumer confidence will all shape travel bookings.

She continued: “What will matter most is value, and ensuring agents deploy strong value-led messaging that drives enquiries while helping customers understand what a genuinely good deal looks like.

“Consumers are continuing to focus on getting the best deal from their spend, it’s not just about booking the cheapest bargain available, but they want to see the most value from what their budget can afford. In the year ahead our travel agency partners will be working hard to elevate the booking experience and showcase this value.”