Self-catering holiday brands Hoseasons and cottages.com enjoyed their best ever online sales day yesterday.

The news follows a decision by prime minister Boris Johnson to allow domestic holidays to restart from July 4th.

Luxury lodge specialist Hoseasons recorded one booking every 11 seconds in the hours after the announcement, as customers scrambled to book holidays and secure their summer staycation.

Year-on-year sales were up 270 per cent for Hoseasons by the end of the day, with sister company cottages.com reporting a 455 per cent increase as both brands smashed their previous record sales days.

“We were expecting greater levels of interest, but the surge in demand was still surprising and we certainly hadn’t expected a record day,” said Simon Altham, chief commercial officer of Awaze UK – the parent company of both brands.

“Over the last few weeks we have seen volumes of enquires and bookings increase on a daily basis, as people begin to become more confident about booking a UK holiday.

“Government confirmation seems to have just given people an extra level of certainty.”

He added: “All the evidence suggests that holidays remain a priority for most people, and this year more than ever the chance to get away is something customers are very much looking forward to.

“July and August are likely to be very busy as a result, but we are also expecting greater than usual levels of demand for September and October too as the season extends.”

To ensure customer safety is maintained both brands have launched a new Safer Stays initiative where locations can sign up to confirm they have extra cleaning protocols and social distancing measures in place for guests.