More and more people seem to be leaving it until the last minute to find the best deal on a holiday this year, a Mercury straw poll reveals.

Travel agents say the recession and fear of redundancy has put many people off booking in advance.

While some are looking to holiday in Britain, others are steering clear of countries where the euro is strong against the pound to get better hotel deals and cheaper food and drink.

Lee Schoolar, of Barton-Knott Travel, in Anstey, said: "People are going for just one week instead of two or booking holidays in the UK at Butlins or Haven, hoping the weather will be nice.

"They're avoiding the eurozone because their money doesn't go so far, choosing destinations such as Turkey and Egypt instead.

"People who would have booked early in previous years are waiting as well, hoping to get a last-minute offer and making sure they still have a job and the money to go away."

However, people may be waiting for late deals that never come.

Paul Owen, general manger of Independent Travel, in Belvoir Street, Leicester, said: "We're finding that people are shopping around a lot and we're having to work a lot harder to get the business.

"People are waiting for late deals and I'm not sure there will be any – the airlines have cut their capacity in anticipation and, while there have been some deals on long-haul flights to generate business, I'm not sure there will be late deals."

Sandie North of Exclusive Holidays, in Market Harborough, which runs coach trips around the UK, said: "We haven't noticed any huge surge, but we haven't really suffered from the downturn, either.

"People are certainly booking more last-minute, though."

A1 Travel, in Needham Street, Highfields, deals largely with people going to see family in South Asia.

A spokesman said: "People have no money and business is very quiet. Some people are travelling, but only if they have to.

"We are surviving. After every hardship, there is the easing and I'm sure the easing will come."

In the industry, the downturn has cost some jobs but most travel agents expected a tough year.

Association of British Travel Agents spokesman Sean Tipton said: "We knew this year would be down on last year, so most companies have reduced their capacity. They haven't pre-booked as many hotel rooms up front.

"Nationally, turnover is five to 10% down on last year, but there's anecdotal evidence people are starting to book now. It makes sense in a recession not to advance book a holiday if you don't know whether you're still going to have a job in the summer."

He said Egypt and Turkey were 20 to 25% busier than last year because of the strong euro, "but the other factor is the weather".