Both last-minute bookings and extreme forward planning are up, as Original Travel reports that holiday booking patterns have polarised.

Original Travel reports that its last-minute bookings to Europe are up 78%, while its team are also taking bookings as far ahead as 2030, with the standard two-to-three-month lead times becoming a thing of the past. 

The tailor-made travel company calls it 'The Concertina Effect' – a simultaneously stretched and squeezed booking window that reflects the spontaneity and uncertainty of the times. Like the bellows of a concertina, clients' booking patterns are pulling in two directions. From impulsive escapes to milestone journeys years in the making, flexibility is key. 

Planning your traditional summer holiday at the beginning of the year was once the norm, however, Original Travel are finding increasing numbers of its clients are either thinking last-minute or longer-term – typically 12-24 months ahead.  

Significant birthdays, anniversaries, and overseas weddings are prompting families - often spanning three generations - to book years in advance. Seasonal phenomena such as the Serengeti's wildebeest migration, British Columbia's salmon run (which needs planning two years in advance) or Japan's cherry blossom season (ditto) are also driving early planning, with some clients already securing trips as far ahead as 2030 to witness events such as the total solar eclipse in Namibia. 

Tom Barber, Co-founder of Original Travel says: 'In uncertain times, planning something joyful far ahead becomes an act of hope. We call it “anticication” – looking forward to something extraordinary.' 
 
In contrast, there has also been a sharp rise in spontaneous bookings, especially to European destinations, with Italy, Norway and Greece proving particularly popular. Many travellers are enquiring about trips departing within days, often driven by last-minute availability or a gap in their schedules. The rise of flexible and remote working is further enabling impromptu getaways, with clients increasingly opting for long weekend breaks booked at short notice.  

Tom Barber adds: 'There's an emotional element too. In a world of burnout and bad news, travel becomes self-care. Clients tell us they simply need a change of scene, a bit of sun or space to breathe. These last-minute trips aren't always tied to a milestone, but they're no less meaningful – and at the moment we are almost always able to accommodate the request.'  

This polarisation reflects a broader post-pandemic shift in travel behaviour, amplified by economic uncertainty, global instability and rising burnout levels, with 91% of adults reporting high stress at some point during the year (Mental Health UK, 2025). Could the new norm be people embracing both long-term forward planning and newfound spontaneity?

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Notes to Editors:   

Original Travel curates tailor-made itineraries, crafted by destination experts, to 77 countries worldwide from Anguilla to Zimbabwe. Celebrating its 21st anniversary this year, the company has created over 50,000 itineraries since its launch in 2003, each one unique and adhering to the company ethos that “Life is in the Detail”.   

Original Travel also has its own specialist dive division. Original Diving is the world's only luxury dive travel outfit.   

11 of our consultants are recognised as Conde Nast Traveler's 2024 Travel Specialists – more than any other tour operator for the 2nd year running. Our specialists include: Co-founder, Tom Barber (family travel and sabbaticals), Jacqui Brooks (Indonesia) and Oliver Rodwell (Mexico), Ben Williams (Egypt) Kate Little (Romania), Isabel de Galleani (Morocco), Frances Mavor (India), Harriet Harford (European Wine Regions), Holly Barber (Cambodia),  Lucy Bailey (Oman).  

In October 2024, Original Travel was ranked among the top five Tour Operators in the country in the prestigious Conde Nast Traveller Reader's Choice Awards.   

Original Travel clients enjoy a wealth of additional services they would not find with any other UK tour operator, including:   

Access to a network of 70-plus Concierges who live locally, know their destinations inside and out and are extremely well-connected. They lend fantastic ground support, offering insider recommendations, facilitating any last-minute changes and troubleshooting.   

A brace of additional services designed to make departure easier than ever. Every Original Travel client, regardless of whether they're off on a city break, or a multi-destination sabbatical, is checked in on all flights – outbound, domestic and inbound - with boarding passes uploaded to the Original Travel app; will have UK airport meet and greet, fast track UK check-in, fast track UK security*, lounge access and pre-booked flight seats. Thoughtful details include wifi routers or e-sims, destination specific book and music lists and children's activity packs. There are also upgrade options to include: a luggage transfer service from your home to the airport; fast track check-in and security and lounge access on your flight home; fast track through immigration on your return to the UK.   

The knowledge that not only will Original Travel absorb the carbon footprint of their international flights, but also - in an industry-first - car-hire and transfers, and other flights (even if booked independently).  Clients can also be advised on which flight options have the lowest levels of emissions, thanks to an industry-leading and world-first carbon calculator which can compare the levels of emissions generated by each flight, using data compiled from flight plans, aircraft type, the cabin class, direct versus indirect flights and the target occupancy rate.  

The knowledge that they are contributing to Our Foundation, which supports nearly 100 humanitarian projects in 30 developing countries. To date, nearly £1.5 million has been invested to support five key areas: child protection, vocational training, economic development assistance, preservation of cultural and natural heritage and safeguarding the lifestyles of indigenous peoples.