CV Villas sees 37% hike in late bookings for summer

CV Villas has reported a 37% surge in last-minute bookings for this summer since April.

The most searched holiday destinations on the company’s website in the last 30 days have been Corfu, Algarve, Puglia, Kefalonia and Majorca.

This showcases that customers are still choosing to visit European short-haul destinations, rather than go long-haul, according to the company.

Customers are also requesting greater flexibility in duration, with the villa specialist now offering stays of five, six and 10 days in duration for some Greek islands, Croatia, Turkey and the Caribbean.

Top holiday destinations this summer are Croatia, up 47% year-on-year; Spain, up 35% driven by Majorca and Ibiza; and Portugal, up 11%, mainly due to the Algarve.

CV Villas has seen a demand for high-end villas, with a 23% increase in its ‘Above’ range of luxury accommodation for summer bookings.

High net worth customers are requesting additional services in their bookings such as in-villa private chefs, local authentic experiences and nanny services.

A new range of experiences in Corfu, Paxos and Lefkada has been introduced due to demand from customers and travel agents. A popular request for bookings is boat hire in Greece, with a 24% increase in bookings.

Wellness and keeping fit are another trend, with a number of customers requesting e-bikes as well as exercise equipment such as a Pilates Reformer machine, treadmills and bikes, as well as private yoga classes.

Managing director Pete Brudenell said:“This year looked unpredictable for the travel sector due to the continued cost-of-living crisis, however, this has not stopped our customers.

“We have also noticed that our customers are leaving it later to book their holidays.

“Events such as the general election, the Euros and Olympics have all contributed to some consumers putting their holiday plans on pause, whilst they take stock of where to go.

“As an added incentive, we recently launched a lates campaign to highlight summer savings of up to 50% off in key European destinations.

“We have also implemented more flexible durations in villa holidays as more consumers are taking advantage of short-stay trips.”