J Sainsbury : Busiest time of the year for 'summer holidays' may depend on your age, new findings show

New research(1) from Sainsbury's Bank Travel Money indicates that this year, 16th to 30th September will be the busiest period for people 55 and over to go on their 'summer' holiday. This is likely to be down to a number of factors including milder temperatures, more choice as children have returned to school and lower prices.

Its analysis(3) reveals that the average price for two adults and two children travelling to the Costa Del Sol from London was £794 for the first week of August, compared to £464 for the third week of September. That equates to a 71 per cent increase for the same holiday just weeks apart.

Sainsbury's Bank Travel Money research reveal that 14 per cent of holidaymakers plan to go on summer vacation during the last two weeks of September - a figure that rises to 21 per cent for those aged 55 and over. Official figures(2) show that September's popularity has been steadily increasing in recent years and the month was the second most popular for people taking off abroad in 2016, as more than 5.3 million holidaymakers left the country during that period.

The most popular month for UK holidaymakers last year was August(2) with more than six and a half million people opting to go on holiday then. However, September shows no signs of slowing its growth in popularity as the number of people opting to holiday in this month increased by 19 per cent between 2014 and 2016.

The research found there is a significant difference between when holidaymakers plan to take their summer holiday depending on their age. The busiest month for those aged 35 - 54 was July, when one in four planned to go. July is also the peak month for those aged 18 - 34, 25 per cent of whom intended to take their summer holiday then, potentially taking advantage of resorts being in full swing with a wide range of activities and kids clubs provided. By contrast, only 14 per cent of those aged 55 and over said they would travel abroad in July.

On average, people intend to take around £430 in foreign currency with them on their summer holiday this year, but nearly one in ten (nine per cent) plan to take over £1,000(1).

Simon Taylor, head of Travel Money at Sainsbury's Bank, said: 'Whether you're travelling in peak season or going after the rush, it's never been more important to shop around and ensure you're making your holiday money go as far as possible.

'Plan ahead and make sure you're getting the best exchange rates and consider looking for deals. For convenience you can always order online and collect your travel money in one of our supermarkets.'

Sainsbury's Bank Travel Money offers Nectar cardholders competitive rates at its instore bureaux and online, with 0 per cent commission on foreign currency and the opportunity to collect Nectar Points(4). There are over 50 currencies available to order, with next day collection available for Euros and US Dollars. Open seven days a week and with convenient parking, customers can also purchase a Sainsbury's Bank Multi-currency Cash Passport TM MasterCard® and collect travel money whilst shopping(5).

Customers can order currency online (6) or by telephone on 0845 301 2724 and collect from one of more than 230 travel money bureaux within Sainsbury's stores, or receive free home delivery for orders of £500 or more.

-Ends-
For further information, please contact:
Sainsbury's Bank press office 0131 286 0010 / bank_communications@sainsburys.co.uk
Emma Murphy / Phil Anderson, Citigate Dewe Rogerson on 020 7638 9571
Notes to editor:

Rates and information correct at date of issue.

Notes to editors:
(1) Sainsbury's Bank commissioned Opinium Research to survey 2,003 nationally representative UK adults aged 18+ between 28th April to 2nd May 2017. Opinium Research is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules
(2) Official figures from https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/datasets/monthlyoverseastravelandtourismreferencetables/current
(3) Sainsbury's Bank analysis of holiday prices on https://www.travelsupermarket.com/ on 31 July 2017 based on two adults and two children travelling from London Gatwick to Costa Del Sol for one week on 01 August until 08 August and 19 September until 26 September
(4) Nectar points may take up to 60 days to appear on your account. Customers can collect Nectar points on all instore, phone and online purchases of foreign currency. The number of Nectar points collected is based on the value of the currency transaction: 5 points are collected for transactions between £0 and £249.99; 10 points for transactions between £250 and £499.99; 20 points for transactions between £500 and £799.99 and 50 points for transactions of £800 or more. A Nectar card must be presented at the time of purchase instore, or a Nectar card number quoted online or by phone at the time of purchase. The Nectar loyalty programme is operated independently of Sainsbury's Bank by Aimia Coalition Loyalty UK Ltd; and the collection and use of points is governed by the Nectar Collector Rules, set out in the registration pack and available at www.nectar.com. Sainsbury's Bank reserves the right to alter, cancel or withdraw this offer without prior notice.
(5) Sainsbury's Bank Multi-currency Cash Passport™ is issued by R. Raphael & Sons plc, pursuant to licence by MasterCard International Inc. MasterCard® is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. R. Raphael & Sons plc is a UK bank authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (registration number 161302) and is permitted to issue e-money. Head office and registered office at 19-21 Shaftesbury Ave, London, W1D 7ED, company registration number 01288938
(6) Orders collected at in-store bureaux - Euros and US Dollars can be collected the next day, other currencies in 3 days. A £1.99 administration fee applies to all online orders under £100 collected in store.

This press release is information for journalists only and is not intended to be a promotion to be acted upon by consumers.

About Sainsbury's Bank

To view our latest press releases and product information, please visit the Sainsbury's Bank online media centre at www.sainsburysbank.co.uk/media

Sainsbury's was the first major British supermarket to open a bank, commencing trading in February 1997. Benefiting from a fantastic, trusted brand that enables us to combine the shopping experience with personal finance, Sainsbury's Bank provides a range of quality products including insurances, credit cards, savings and loans. Our proposition is to make shopping more rewarding by offering customers great products at fair prices, while consistently rewarding shoppers for their loyalty and being easy to do business with at all times. Our products consistently top best buy tables and regularly win awards for quality, price and service.

Sainsbury's Bank plc. Registered Office, 33 Holborn, London EC1N 2HT (registered in England and Wales, no 3279730) is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (register no. 184514). Sainsbury's Bank plc is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).