LONDON - More UK holidaymakers have chosen destinations outside the European Union for their holidays this summer, according to new figures from Thomas
Cook.
The travel operator said 48% of its package holiday bookings for the season were for countries outside the EU, 10 percentage points higher than the same time last
year - and the report helped lift travel stocks in Monday trading.
Thomas Cook said the weakness of the pound against the euro was the most likely cause for the trend.
It also said that the prolonged uncertainty around the UK's exit from the European Union had led many to delay their decision on when and where to book.
Shares in Thomas Cook and rose by more than 2% with rival TUI up 3%. Low-cost airline easyJet was also up by 3%, as was International Airlines Group, owner of
British Airways and Iberia.
Spain remained the top destination for the travel operator's summer package holidays.
But Turkey saw the biggest growth in demand, leapfrogging Greece - now in third - to become this summer's second most popular package holiday destination.(FA)
