UK Families Head to Europe for May Half-Term Holidays

In Brief: Families across the UK are traveling to European destinations during the May half-term school break, with Mediterranean holidays seeing particularly high demand.

UK Families Head to Europe for May Half-Term Holidays – Image Credit ABTA

Travel activity in May is rising as families seek short-haul holidays abroad during the UK’s half-term school break. Many families are departing the UK for holidays in popular Mediterranean destinations, with most schools breaking up on Friday and a busy travel weekend expected.

ABTA’s recent research shows that 17% of UK adults who planned to take a holiday abroad intended to do so in May. ABTA members report strong demand for sunshine breaks in May and over the half-term period, especially to Spain, Italy, the Balearic and Canary Islands, Portugal, Croatia, and Greece. Majorca, Alicante, and Tenerife are among the beach destinations attracting travelers.

City breaks are also popular, with Milan, Nice, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Budapest, Dublin, and Rome among the leading destinations for UK travelers. Some ABTA members have also reported strong bookings for cruises that visit multiple Mediterranean destinations.

The data is from ABTA’s annual Holiday Habits survey, conducted by The Nursery Research and Planning with a nationally representative sample of 2,001 UK adults. The 2025 survey was carried out between July 21 and August 1.