Bosses at Barrhead Travel have reported a huge surge in bookings over the King’s Coronation Bank Holiday.

The new holiday falls on Monday, May 8, following the coronation ceremony on Saturday, May 6.

Bookings with the firm are up 55% compared with the same period in 2019, with May currently the third top booking month, just behind June and July.

Following a record-breaking Easter, holidaymakers have been taking advantage of the three-day-long celebrations by using the bank holiday to jet away for 10 days, which means using only four days’ leave.

The most booked popular holidays for Brits looking to make the most of the extra holiday are Mallorca, Tenerife, Costa Blanca, Florida, Canada and Mediterranean cruises from Southampton.

Mark Ferrier, Travel Agent at Barrhead Travel, said: “Bank holidays have long been a popular time to travel but it’s really interesting to see how many people are optimising the extra holiday for the King’s Coronation after only being announced late last year.

“The top durations across this Bank Holiday period are mainly seven nights or longer – so it looks like people have decided to tie in their annual leave and take a long trip.

“The fact that we’re seeing long haul destinations, such as Canada, amongst the most sought-after places is a sign that holidaymakers are keen to tick off long-awaited bucket list trips.

“May is a popular time for both families and friends to get away before the peak of summer.”