WTM London: British holidaymakers delay bookings as Corfu expands its connections
LONDON. British holidaymakers remain keen to travel, but fewer have gone ahead with bookings. Greece ranks fifth among their preferred destinations, while the first scheduled flights to Corfu are due to begin in late March 2027.
British travel sources are reporting strong holiday intentions but a more cautious picture when it comes to advance bookings, as World Travel Market London 2026 draws to a close today. Greece remains firmly among British holidaymakers’ preferred destinations, while flights to Corfu have been announced from late March 2027.
The WTM Global Travel Report 2026, published by Tourism Economics, forecasts 1.57 billion international tourist arrivals worldwide this year, an increase of 2%. For 2027, it estimates global growth of 8% and an 11% recovery in long-haul travel, provided geopolitical tensions ease. These are forecasts for the global market, not confirmed bookings.
Travel intentions: 70% plan to take a holiday
According to the British travel association ABTA’s Holiday Habits 2026–27 survey, 70% of respondents are planning an overseas holiday in the next 12 months. Greece accounts for 11% of the preferences of those planning such a trip, placing it fifth behind Spain, France, Italy and the United States.
May accounts for 17% and September for 15% of stated travel intentions for 2027. These figures reflect plans and preferences, not holidays already purchased or confirmed arrivals.
Financial pressures are influencing choices: 21% say they will look for cheaper accommodation, while 19% plan to cut back on eating out.
Bookings: a smaller proportion have already committed
The same survey found that, among those planning an overseas holiday, 46% had already made at least some bookings, compared with 48% in the previous survey. The two-percentage-point decline refers to the proportion of consumers who had already booked a trip, not to the total number of bookings.
Actual sales figures, however, present a different picture. According to British trade publication Travel Weekly, Protected Trust Services reports that Greece is its top-selling destination for summer 2027. This information relates to a specific network of travel businesses and does not reflect the entire British market.
GIORGOS KATSAITIS
