Rising costs of package holidays to Mallorca, Crete and Tenerife

British tourists are paying up to a quarter more this summer for all-inclusive packages to Mediterranean hotspots than last year.

The average cost of a one week full board family trip to Crete in Greece has increased by 25 per cent, while Majorca in Spain has risen by 21 per cent and Tenerife by 22 per cent.

Experts also revealed an overall average increase of 12 percent in the cost of holidays to the five most popular countries: Spain, Turkey, Greece, Portugal and Cyprus.

But there is also great variation between destinations – Spain is up 15 percent but Portugal only 5 percent, according to the TravelSupermarket facts.

And the average price across the five countries is now more than 30 percent higher than before the pandemic — well above the overall rate of inflation since 2019.

The rising cost of summer holidays signals further pain for cash-strapped Brits hit by rising inflation amid rising energy costs, mortgage rates and food purchases.

TravelSupermarket boss Richard Singer said those hoping for a last-minute bargain may not succeed this year as demand still outstrips supply.

He also told BBC news: ‘Prices are unlikely to fall substantially before this summer. The prices for next year seem to be at this year’s level.’

The average holiday in Spain for August 2023 is now £926 per person, which is an increase of £118 compared to £808 last August; while in Turkey the figure has increased by £89 from £902 to £991.

In Greece, the average cost of a holiday per person has increased by £124 from £974 to £1,098; while in Portugal it is up £51 from £949 to £1,000. In Cyprus, the £93 figure has increased from £1,060 to £1,153.

Travelsupermarket also analyzed data from five other countries further afield, with holidays to Mexico now £126 per person up from £1,656 to £1,782; and Egypt £100 up from £1,135 to £1,235.

Bulgaria remains the cheapest option of the ten countries analysed, but it has also increased, with £96 rising from £746 to £842.

Meanwhile, in monetary terms, the United Arab Emirates has risen the most on the list of ten, with £260 rising from £1,426 to £1,686. And Morocco has also seen a sharp increase, rising from £204 from £755 to £959.

TravelSupermarket calculated the average figures using search results for vacations in each destination, with exact costs varying based on location and time of booking.

The price comparison website also found that the average nightly charge for airport parking in Britain has risen by almost 10 per cent this year, from £13 in May 2022 to more than £14 now.

There is also an average 10 percent increase in the cost of travel insurance.

Travel expert Paul Charles, CEO of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said consumer demand for this summer is at its highest level since 2019, with bookings at some companies up around 40 percent compared to that pre-pandemic year.

He told MailOnline today: ‘Consumers have been saving hard for their summer travel, so you can be sure that your flight, ferry or Eurostar will be fully booked in July and August. There won’t be any empty seats.’

But Mr Charles also said he did not expect demand to continue at the same pace beyond the summer, with higher mortgage rates and overall prices leading consumers to cut back.

He continued: “I expect a period from September to December with lower demand. However, we know that price is key and we will see airlines and travel companies offering really good prices in the mass market to ensure they continue to entice passengers.

‘The boom will continue in the higher, luxury segment of the market. Despite a slowdown in the technology and banking sectors, there is still plenty of cash waiting to be funneled into travel by consumers.

Airline premium cabins will remain full on most routes, even if seat prices drop a bit to entice people, or if airlines make more miles available.

Traveling is in the blood again, consumer mentality has changed since the pandemic to one of wanting to get away regularly. Consumers will not give up on their travels.’

Meanwhile, new research from Trivago shows that 28 per cent of Britons view holidays as essential rather than luxury, and 56 per cent plan to use their savings to travel this year.

The hotel price comparison website added that the top five holiday destinations for UK travelers this year are Dubai, New York, Benidorm, Albufeira and Istanbul.

Also in the top ten are Antalya, Orlando, Las Vegas, Marrakesh and Costa Adeje in Spain.

Johannes Thomas, CEO of Trivago, said today: ‘Holidays are very important to consumers in the UK and they are not prepared to let the current economic situation get in the way of a much needed holiday.’

It comes after the Daily Mail urged holidaymakers heading abroad this summer to book their airport parking spaces quickly, as booking ahead can save hundreds of pounds.

Airports such as Heathrow charge as much as £83 per day for those who show up at an official airport short- or long-stay car park just before a flight, meaning a week’s short-stay parking costs around £580.

But for those who book a month ahead, seven days in an official Heathrow short-term car park can cost almost a third of this amount, at £198.

You can save even more by pre-booking at the airport’s official long-term parking lot, but you can save even more with a remote valet service near the airport.

For example, booking a week’s stay from July 3 at Heathrow could cost £56 with a Purple Parking park and ride, or £119 or £106 with Maple Parking and MBW Parking meet-and-greet services respectively.

In Britain, headline inflation is still at 8.7 percent, with the Bank of England raising interest rates to 5 percent last week to try to dampen rising prices.

But today in Spain it was revealed that the country’s overall annual inflation rate has fallen to 1.9 percent – ​​the slowest increase since March 2021 and below the European Central Bank’s target of 2 percent for the first time in more than two years .