Travel insurance purchases may be affected in half-term holiday slowdown

Fewer people are expected to purchase travel insurance in October as soaring holiday prices affect the half-term market it has been suggested.

Agents at a roundtable travel debate in Rhodes expressed their concerns over rising prices for package holidays over the forthcoming half-term break reports travel Weekly.

XL Leisure Group's recent collapse was at the centre of blame as agents claimed the flight-capacity drop has led to increased prices.

The director of travel Trust Association Steve Clark cited an average increase of half-term packages from £500 to as much as £750.

Matt Todd sales manager of Qwerty travel added: "No-one has put on extra flying for October so prices have gone up. People who would never have considered the Costa Brava are now considering it."

Despite these worries UN World Tourism Organisation secretary general Francesco Frangialli is adamant travel will not be crippled by the economy saying "tourism is resilient".

He added that our "post-industrial societies" will continue to drive us to want to go on holidays.

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