As the school holidays loom, last-minute options are inevitably drying up. Scheduled airlines may have been hit by the economic downturn and are finding it harder to fill seats, but package tour operators are reporting increased summer bookings.

Travel agent Thomas Cook says sales across the industry are up 12%, and claims business through its shops is 17% ahead of the level achieved at this point last year.

But unsold July and August holidays can still be found. Places where you are least likely to get a last-minute break, says Thomas Cook, include Turkey and the Easter Mediterranean, though it might be possible still to get something in Cyprus. "Business to Greece has been very strong, perhaps because of the Captain Corelli effect," says a spokesman. Packages are still available to Menorca and Lanzarote. And strong demand has prompted the company's tour operator, JMC, to order extra flights for August Bank Holiday week from Manchester, Luton, Gatwick and Stansted to Menorca, Tenerife and Ibiza.

Major operators

First Choice (0870 750 0001) has space available in Ibiza, Gran Canaria, Alicante and on the Costa Brava, with flights from Gatwick. A week's self-catering, starting on July 23, at the Jumana Apartments in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, costs £412pp, for example. And a seven night, full-board deal, starting on August 7 at the Orange Hotel in Alicante costs £568 per adult and £408 per child.

Travelchoice, the First Choice agency chain (0870 900 5833, www.travelchoice.com) has packages including a week's self- catering in Cyprus for £289 with Unijet, departing Gatwick on July 25 and Zakynthos for £299 with Golden Sun, departing Glasgow on August 5.

Lunn Poly (0870 333 4400) has one week "Square Deals" from sister company Thomson Holidays. You pick the general destination, the operator allocates the specific resort and accommodation. One week options include Majorca for £279 (from Manchester on July 15), Cyprus for £259 (from Gatwick on July 20), Lanzarote for £379 (from Gatwick on July 24), Malta for £310 (from Gatwick on August 1). Examples of two week packages on offer: Tenerife for £462 (from Gatwick on August 12), Ibiza for £462 (from Manchester on August 6), Barbados for £860 (from Manchester on August 9) and Mexico for £882 (from Manchester on July 22).

Airtours (0870 2415339) reports some holidays still available in Turkey, particularly in resorts reached via Antalya airport, such as Olu Deniz, Fethiye and Alanya. Rhodes and Crete offer the best chance of finding a late Greek package. There is also space in Cyprus - in Paphos and Larnaca. The firm has some deals available in Ibiza - from £319 for a week in Port des Torrent, departing on July 2 and Majorca (from £369 for a week's half board in Alcudia, starting on July 23). Good deals are still on offer to Tunisia, including a including a fortnight for £345 from Birmingham on August 5.

Self-catering

Vacanze in Italia (08700 772772) has a Tuscan cottage near Pisa available for a fortnight from July 21. It sleeps two adults and two children and has a shared pool. Rental is now £1,514 - down £300 on the original price. Sister operator Individual Travellers Spain (08700 773773) has a cottage in Andalusia sleeping up to four, available for one week, from the same date for £623 - down £150. Both deals include car hire, but not flights.

Leisure Direction (020-8324 3030, www.leisuredirection.co.uk) has apartments in resorts, including Ciboure, near St Jean de Luz on the southern Atlantic coast of France. One week starting on July 28 or August 4, for example, costs £874 for five people including Channel crossings. It also has apartments in Le Touquet, Deauville and the Alps resort of Les Arcs while VFB Holidays (01242 240 310) has a good selection of self-catering properties in Languedoc and Provence during August. Sample price in Provence (starting August 11) is £1,233 for two adults plus £17 per additional adult or child. Includes return midweek Channel crossings, travel insurance and bed linen.

Lagrange Holidays (020-7371 6111) has one-bedroom apartments for up to four people at Ste Maxime on the Cote d'Azur for £808 a week until July 28 then £950 until August, plus a £30 booking fee unless you also book ferry crossings which start at £205 return. The firm can also offer mobile homes in Brittany.

Sunvil Holidays (020-8568 4499, www.sunvil.co.uk) has sold its entire Cyprus programme, but still has some self-catering apartments available in Greece during August. For example, two weeks at the Possidonion Apartments on the island of Samos, starting on August 9 and costs £490 a head (two sharing).

Eurocamp (01606 787 787, www.eurocamp.co.uk) has one week's fixed-tent camping at Duinrell Holiday Parc at Wassenaar in Holland for £156pp for two adults and three children from August 8. Includes Dover-Calais crossings.

Hotel packages

Plenty of availability at Disneyland Paris (08705 030303). Two nights Sequoia Lodge in July and August starts from £311 per adult and £118 per child in Eurostar and unlimited access to the park.

Eurotunnel Motoring Holidays (0870 333 2001), has four-night breaks in Le Touquet in northern France from £171pp, B&B, including crossings.

Bonaventure (020-8780 1311, www.bonaventure-holidays.com ) has plenty of space at the Hotel Rincon Andaluz in Marbella, which is built in the manner of an Andalusian village and has a free, supervised children's club. One week half board costs £903pp (two sharing) and there is a 20% discount for up to two under-12s sharing parents' rooms. Flights are daily from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted or Bristol from July 20-August 23 and the price includes private airport transfers.

The firm also has packages available in the Canary Islands between July 17 and August 20 from £584.Channel Islands Direct (0870 789 3339, www.channelislandsdirect.co.uk): holidays include a week' s B&B in St Helier, Guernsey, with foot passenger crossings from Portsmouth, for £282 per adult (children free - but no meals included). Or you could fly for £328 per adult and £79 per child.

Long-haul sun

Eclipse Holidays (08705 010203) has packages including two weeks all- inclusive in the Dominican Republic for £689 - with a flight from Manchester on August 17.

US

Osprey Holidays (0870 2414217): two week's self drive tour of New England, departs from Heathrow on August 20 and costs £1,334 per adult, based on two sharing.

Whale watching in New England is on offer from Discover the World (01737 218 802, www.arctic-discover.co.uk) from £1,468 (two sharing) including flights departing August 6.

Activities

Inntravel (01653 629010/ www.inntravel.co.uk): walking in the French and Swiss Jura (July 13-August 24) - bags carried for you between hotels, £520 half board and picnics (two sharing).

Pyrenees Adventures (01433 621498 www.pyreneesadventures.com) has one-week holidays including five days of guided walks on the Spanish border for £595, based on two sharing (travel not included).

Sherpa (020-8577 2717, www.sherpa-walking-holidays.co.uk) has independent, half board, one-week walking holidays in France. These start at £666 a head (based on two sharing) in Burgundy.

Arctic Experience (01737 214 214, www.arctic-discover.co.uk ) has two weeks hiking and touring in Iceland from £1,060 including flights, starting on August 12.

Belle France (01797 223 777) has August cycling packages in the Dordogne with luggage ferried between hotels for £618 (eight nights' half-board, two sharing, self drive including crossings).

At home

July and August at Wye Lea Country Manor (01989 562880) in Herefordshire - a 17-acre private estate home to 13 superb cottages and apartments. A week in a cottage sleeping four costs £990. Guests are welcome to try their hand at fishing on a one-mile private stretch of the River Wye.

Classic Cottages (01326 555 555 or visit www.classic.co.uk) has some properties including one near Bovey Tracey in Devon costing £1,012 for two weeks from August 4.