One in four British holidaymakers are eyeing up a September break as warmer Mediterranean weather extends the traditional holiday season.
Destinations free from playing kids, families hogging the sunbeds and children’s entertainment are also sparking a rush for September holidays.
As the kids go back to school, searches for adult trips in September are 1,170 per cent higher than family holidays, according to data from Hotels.com, which also commissioned the research.
The poll of 1,000 “DINKs” (adults with a Dual Income and No Kids) found other reasons childfree adults like holidaying in autumn include the cost savings. As well as fewer children at the hotel and having more of a romantic atmosphere.
Additional data from the hotel booking website showed top destinations for a term time trip during the autumn months include staycation hotspots London, Edinburgh and York.
Further afield, childfree adults are searching for breaks in Paris, New York and Barcelona.
A spokesperson for Hotels.com said: “The research found that 40 per cent of DINKs regularly spend their hard-earned disposable income on travel.
“So, it’s not surprising to see so many childfree adults choosing to travel and find their perfect somewhere once everyone else’s kids are back in school.
“Not only can travelling during summer holidays cost more, you also have to put up with children on your trip, which not every adult wants to do.
“And of course, some people prefer the slightly cooler weather in September.”
Other reasons DINKs are heading away in September include not having to navigate around highchairs in the hotel restaurants (15 per cent).
While 28 per cent like not having to be quiet after a certain time or risk noise complaints from parents trying to get to sleep once the kids are down.
Nearly half (49 per cent) of the DINKs polled said the idea of looking after a kid on their holidays actively puts them off the idea of having children.
And 41 per cent think there should be more hotels and holiday destinations that are for adults only.
Aside from complaints about children, 27 per cent of those polled simply prefer the slightly cooler weather of holidaying in autumn.
Around a fifth (21 per cent) like the scenery better at that time of year, and the same amount believe going away then shortens the span between summer and Christmas.
Only one in 10, however, would take a trip in autumn specifically to get close to nature, according to the OnePoll.com data, with a fifth of DINKs citing a city trip (20 per cent) as their top preference.
Internal data from Expedia has also revealed the trending destinations for 2023’s ‘Shoulder Season’ – the period between summer and winter.
British holidaymakers are opting for sunny climes, with searches for the ever-popular Algarve up almost 40 per cent year-on-year.
While Ibiza, known for its mass summer appeal, is still bringing in the crowds in September, with searches up more than 25 per cent compared to last September.
But the battle for Spanish sun this autumn has a new contender, with Malaga’s appeal skyrocketing, with searches up 40 per cent in September compared to 2022. Tenerife is the king of the Canaries with searches for September and October double those of Lanzarote and Gran Canaria combined, and it’s up over 25 per cent compared to 2022.
Paris and Amsterdam top the list of city breaks seeing a spike this shoulder season, with the French capital up 35 per cent year-on-year for September and Amsterdam up 70 per cent for October.
Lisbon is another trending European city climbing the charts, up 40 per cent year-on-year.
And it’s not just sun-seekers heading to Europe this Autumn, with UK rugby fans flocking to France for the upcoming international tournament.
Data from Vrbo shows a 115 per cent increase in demand for the French destinations hosting games this September and October compared to last year.
Expedia’s spokesperson added, “We know from our trending destinations data that there are endless reasons for autumnal travel, whether you’re travelling for a sporting event, to avoid kids hogging the pool or simply to hunt for that shoulder season sun.
“Whatever the reason, September and October are perfect months to get away that won’t break the bank.”
