This holiday season, British holidaymakers are showing a preference for ‘staycations’, making the most of the consistently good weather in the UK, rather than travelling to a summer holiday hotspot overseas, according to research reports.
Luxury rental specialist, Rural Retreats, has said that following the heat wave last month there has been a dramatic rise in Brits holidaying at home. The number of UK holiday bookings increased by 61 percent in July compared to the same time last year.
The report also found that trips abroad could cost double that of a staycation, a key motivation for many families when choosing where to take their summer break.
Charles Millward, chief executive of Rural Retreats, said, ‘…last month’s great weather saw some parts of the UK enjoy uninterrupted sunshine for nearly three weeks. This has made Brits re-asses their holiday options, especially when a trip abroad for a family of four can be in the region of over £2,000, which is more than double the price of a standard UK mini-break, which costs £900.’
‘This country has some of the finest beaches, attractions and heritage in all of Europe, all we’ve missed in previous years was the weather. This summer we’ve had it all and it’s shown that the UK can be a fantastic holiday choice for both domestic and international tourists. It’s great to see such an increase in Brits holidaying at home this summer, and we hope the hot spell has opened people’s eyes that everything you need for a great break is right here on our doorstep,’ he added.
Meanwhile hotel comparison website Trivago.co.uk said that hotel searches to popular overseas summer destinations have decreased following the heat wave. Since temperatures in the UK rose above 30-degrees C in mid-July, hotel searches to overseas summer destinations decreased by up to 25 percent. Out of the 50 most searched-for overseas destinations by UK travellers during July 2013, Majorcan resorts show the greatest percentage decrease in hotel searches since the heat wave.
In the UK, hotel searches increased in some coastal destinations by up to 41 percent thanks to the heat wave.
The most searched-for UK regions were Devon and Cornwall, with hotel searches in Woolacombe up by 41 percent, Falmouth up by 18 percent, Paignton up by 8 percent, Newquay also up by 8 percent and St Ives up by 7 percent. Also popular were Barmouth in Wales, up 20 percent, Blackpool, also up 20 percent, and Folkestone up 11 percent.
Trivago’s summer trends data also confirms the ‘staycation’ trend, which suggests holidaying at home is on the rise, with 16 of the top 50 most popular summer destinations located in the UK.
