Villas inside and out

Six years ago "Blue Monday" was only a famous song by New Order. But then psychologist Cliff Arnall came along to explain this concept: the third Monday of January is the most depressing day of the year.

But, why this one in particular - the 17th of January this year. Isn't it any Monday depressing enough? There is a combination of factors that make this day specially gloomy, including bad weather, length of time until next Christmas, credit card debt accumulated during the holidays and a collective abandon of New Year's resolutions.

If we add in the worries about global recession and VAT increases, we have a particularly bad one this year. So what can we do to escape the blues? Preparing our next holiday, obviously. The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), estimates that two million people will book their next holiday this week to try to feel better.

According to the association, January is their busiest month, as British holidaymakers take advantage of the discounts available at this time of the year.

Countries like Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy - some of the most affected by the economical climate - are more likely to be in demand this week.

Outside of Europe, Sri Lanka has been considered a "hot" destination by ABTA's 2012 Travel Trends, for being the cheapest destination.

"With two 4 day weekends in the first half of 2012 (Easter and the Diamond Jubilee) many people are expected to take advantage of the time off work and go abroad," said Victoria Bacon, head of communications at ABTA. "The amazing deals and wide availability on offer at this time of year are also guaranteed to help put a smile on peoples' faces".

TravelSupermarket says they usually see an increase of 36% in traffic to their website during this week, compared to any other time in January. They recommend Britons to set themselves a maximum budget before starting to browse for holiday deals.

It seems like we have to follow this trend and book holidays to lift our spirits, or as Blue Monday - the song - goes: I see a ship in the harbour / I can and shall obey /But if it wasn't for your misfortunes/ I'd be a heavenly person today.

Be the first to comment on this.