Time for a holiday?

LONDON, July 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Thomson sees web searches soar as Brits look to escape the wettest ever June

While it didn't take a genius to work out that the period from April to June has been the wettest ever, the meteorologists confirmed it last weekend, and hits on the Thomson website surged. With the long term forecast still looking bleak, it looks as if sun lovers will need to go abroad if they want to soak up any rays.

Thomson saw another very strong weekend, in terms of bookings, to top off a month of high demand. Holiday searches for the month of June were up nearly 20% on the same period last year, showing that people are desperate to leave the rain in the UK behind and head off to warmer climates.

"The constant rain is driving all of us around the bend, so it's no wonder that so many people are looking to head off to get some sunshine", says Nathan Timmins Head of Online Marketing, Thomson.

"As the Mediterranean enjoys temperatures in the late 20s and early 30s we've barely seen any sunshine this summer. Over the last month the Balearics, Spain, Greece, Tunisia and Morocco have proved popular as Brits look to escape to sandy beaches, beautiful weather and resorts that they know and love. With rain forecast for the rest of the week we imagine that the website will keep attracting more users, as people look to research and book their holidays or just get some inspiration and take their mind off the rain!"

Customers looking for holidays in destinations where rain is practically unheard of should head to Cyprus, Tunisia, the Costa del Sol or Egypt, all of which have less than 3mm average rainfall for July.

Victoria Bacon, ABTA Head of Communication, said: "The UK is a beautiful country with exceptional holiday appeal but the weather this year has been setting records for all the wrong reasons; it is no surprise that millions of us are looking to head off overseas for more reliable weather and high temperatures. British holidaymakers will also get a pleasant surprise in their favourite Eurozone destinations with the pound 10% stronger than last year. It's important that people book sooner rather than later as late offers are proving popular."