Online car rentals to rise this year

A new survey out this year is suggesting that the travel agent will soon be out of business as 66 per cent of 1,200 polled said they would be looking to book their holiday online this year, DIY style.

The do-it-yourself way of booking holidays is becoming more popular across Britain as many of us are looking for cheaper and cheaper ways of holidaying to our favourite destination. The sharp rise in budget airlines across Europe has helped people who previously could not afford a foreign trip to make that journey. Everything we now need when booking a holiday can be found online. You can book your hotels via online agents, often a lot cheaper than direct with the hotel themselves; car hire can also be booked through comparison websites to find the cheapest deals in the resort you are heading to.

Last year saw an average of 55 per cent of holidaymakers, asked in the poll, book their entire trip online. Foreign currency can also be ordered online and you just turn up to the bank or exchange desk with your details and ‘hey presto’ better rates than walking up and asking.

The previous year saw a sharp drop in foreign holidays due mainly to economic turndown across the world, but it did have a positive effect on the UK tourism market. Many chose to take a holiday in the UK and hotels and places like Butlins and caravan parks saw a rise in booking last year. This coming year looks to follow suit as 71 per cent of those asked said they would take a UK holiday this year, up by six per cent on 2009.