Good news for agents; Irish people are continuing to view foreign holidays as a priority spending item, despite the high cost of living, new research shows.
The survey, by Multitrip.com, shows people are determined to make the most of their time off this year, with 53% already planning to enjoy three or more holidays in 2026.
Despite the rising cost of living, the study, which is based on feedback from more than 2,500 respondents, reveals a strong intention to adapt and keep travel on the agenda.
Multitrip.com Managing Director, Jason Whelan said: “We hear a lot about the importance of holidays these days and it’s clear from our research that people truly realise the value of taking the hard earned break, maybe a couple of times a year.”
“While our Individual Annual policy is one of our most popular products, we also offer Family & Couple Annual policies, which provide coverage for family trips as well as individual travel plans throughout the year. With our Annual Family Premier Plus policies, kids go free, meaning there’s no additional cost to insure your dependent children. Our Premier Plus policies also include free Winter sports and has Zero Excess. This offers families valuable savings while ensuring everyone enjoys peace of mind on their travels.”
Survey Highlights:
When asked if the cost-of-living crisis had affected their travel plans for 2026, 65% of people said it had. However,
- 38% say they will spend about the same as in 2025, while 22% are ready to treat themselves by spending even more than last year.
- 35% say their travel plans are not affected at all by the cost-of-living crisis.
Where adjustments are being made, most people are finding flexible solutions:
- 44% plan to take slightly fewer holidays but are still making time for a break.
- 17% will opt for shorter breaks,
- 7% will choose destinations closer to home.
- Just 2%, plan to skip holidays this year.
When it comes to the holidays being planned for 2026:
- Mainland Spain (16%) and the Canaries (14%) remain the most popular destinations
- September (33%) has retained top spot as the most common month for travel, followed by May (27%) and June (26%)
