The Irish are heading to the Canaries for longer due to increasing costs at home

Travel agents in Ireland are experiencing a high demand for longer stay holidays in warmer countries, due to inflation and the increase in the cost of living if they stay at home. Thousands are heading to warmer climates, especially Tenerife and Lanzarote, for at least a month at a time because their money goes further.

Tom Britton, the director of Marble City Travel in Kilkenny, revealed that clients are taking off to the sun in large numbers for the entire months of December and January, after taking extended stays in November.

He said: “Our peak period for people booking holidays is normally January but it started in early November. They are not just going for a few days or a week, they are staying for a month or several weeks at a time.”

Mr Britton explained that customers are staying out of the country for longer due to inflation and the increase in the cost of living costs, especially those who can work from anywhere and retired couples.

Meanwhile, Limerick Travel have also confirmed an increase in remote workers and retirees booking longer stays for one and two months during the winter season due to soaring costs.

Grogan Travel in Galway and Sunway Travel in Dún Laoghaire are also experiencing the same type of getaways being booked, especially for the months of February and March next year.

A Sunway Travel spokesperson added: “It’s been very busy with these types of bookings and yes the majority of people are a mix of those who can work from anywhere and those who are older. It’s primarily down to the soaring costs here. They are searching for good deals so they can stay away for longer where their euro will stretch further.”

David Timmons, bar manager of the Irish Harbour Bar in Lanzarote, who has lived on the island for several years. explained that "there are definitely people staying here for longer. I'm meeting a lot more people working remotely these days and also a lot of older tourists.”

"Normally the first two weeks in December would get quieter, but it's not happened yet. This year seems like it's going to be different. Planes are still arriving full."

An annual visitor to Lanzarote who visited the island this week for a short break, Annie Nolan from Kilkenny, said: “Normally it’s quieter here at this time of year but the place is so busy. Many of the people I’ve met have said they are avoiding escalating heating bills at home. People are finding it cheaper to rent for 30 days than the usual 14-day break, and the flights are cheap too.”

“For an Irish person, the likes of the Canary Islands are much cheaper than Ireland when you compare even the cost of a coffee and a pastry. It’s around the 2 euro mark there, whereas here in Ireland, you are talking about 6 or 7 euros,” she added.

Finally, Mr Britton said that he feels “the begrudger” attitude of people has changed, especially after the pandemic lockdown, and people are more into “mindfulness and looking after what is best for them.”