One in three passengers will be first-timers on Brittany Ferries this year

This statistic compares with just 23 percent who travelled with the ferry and holiday company in 2019.

So far, 28 per cent of total bookings in 2022 have been made by first-timers, but the proportion is rising week on week.

In the last four weeks (to May 20), 33 per cent of reservations came from new customers, while 35 per cent of those travelling in the peak summer holiday months will be new to the company.

Brittany Ferries has stated that a number of factors are fuelling the trend, including holidaymakers rethinking low-cost air travel due to Covid-19, less lead time between booking and travel, value and security as travellers are hit by the cost of living crisis, and passengers wanting to travel with ethical businesses.

Christophe Mathieu, CEO of Brittany Ferries, explained: ‘We are still largely owned by the co-operative of Breton farmers, that launched the business 50years ago.

‘The aim then was the same as it is today: to connect people, enrich regions and to facilitate trade.

‘Ours is a responsible business that treats everyone with respect, from loyal seafarers to customers and onto the wider business community.

‘I think that’s something that resonates with more and more travellers.’

Brittany Ferries was founded in 1927 and the company operates from three ports in the UK – Portsmouth, Poole and Plymouth.

The shipping company connects with five beautiful destinations in Brittany and Normandy and two in northern Spain, Santander and Bilbao.

To find out more, please visit brittany-ferries.co.uk.