Travel agencies predict record summer despite 15% price hike

Travel agencies are predicting another "record" summer for bookings, despite prices rising by up to 15% compared to last year.

That's according to Jordi Martí, the president of Barcelona-based ACAVE (Corporate Association of Specialised Travel Agencies).

Martí said he was pleased that the "significant" price increases have not impacted demand. "Holidays have become a basic necessity," he stated.

On average, travellers spend around €2,000 per person on trips abroad, Martí noted, though this varies greatly depending on the destination, he said.

The association also highlighted a sharp decline in bookings to the United States, which it attributes to the "unpopularity" of Donald Trump and concerns about what travellers may face at border control.