25 million Brits now opting to holiday in UK: survey
Contributors are not employed, compensated or governed by TD, opinions and statements are from the contributor directly
A recent survey from VoucherCodes.co.uk reveals that 25 million Brits (51 per cent) are now opting to holiday in the UK rather than taking a trip abroad – 4.5 million (seven per cent) more than ‘staycationed’ last year. The average staycationer is expected to splash £686 on their home-based break, an increase of 55 per cent from last year (£442).
For the fifth year running, Cornwall is the most popular spot for those planning a break in their home country, with 12 per cent of holiday-goers planning a trip there this year. London held onto second place on this year’s list of top staycation destinations, with nine per cent planning a trip to the city this year. Meanwhile, eight percent of Brits are planning to take their trip up north to the Lake District and soak up the fresh air and breath-taking scenery.
Cost remains a big driver of the staycations movement with 18 per cent of those surveyed revealing they simply can’t afford to afford to travel abroad this year. A further sixth (16 per cent) claim they’ve opted to staycation because they believe it’s better value than venturing abroad. But for a third of Brits (32 per cent), an interest in exploring all that the UK has to offer is their main reason for opting for a staycation this year.
The number of Brits holidaying on UK shores has seen a further boost following the EU referendum. Additional research carried out after the referendum reveals an extra five per cent of Brits will choose to take a break in the British Isles this year (equivalent to an extra 2.5 million people). A further five per cent stated they are actually holding off booking a holiday at all until things calm down.
Brexit has also had an impact on how the nation is feeling about its holiday finances, with 15 per cent of those taking a holiday this year planning to spend less on their summer getaway following the result.
The top 10 Staycation destinations in 2016 are:
Top 10 destinations | 2016 | 2015 | |
1 | Cornwall | 1 | Cornwall |
2 | London | 2 | London |
3 | Lake District | 3 | Lake District |
4 | Scottish Highlands | 4 | Yorkshire Dales |
5 | Stay at home | 5 | Bournemouth |
6 | Norfolk | 6 | Isle of Wight |
7 | Edinburgh | 7 | Edinburgh |
8 | Isle of Wight | 8 | New Forest |
9 | Manchester | 9 | Brighton |
10 | Bath | 10 | Cardiff |
A quarter (25 per cent) of respondents are planning an escape to the countryside this year, compared to 20 percent in 2015, whilst both beach holidays and city breaks across the UK came in joint second place for the most popular staycation, with 19 per cent of Brits opting to take either.
Claire Davenport, managing director at VoucherCodes.co.uk says: “It is fantastic to see such a positive forecast for our local tourism industry, especially given that London was recently revealed to be the top destination for international holiday goers in Europe. Thanks to the news that so many Brits are planning to holiday in Britain during 2016, we should see a welcome boon up and down the country for hoteliers, B&Bs and travel retailers throughout the summer. With this in mind, those in the travel industry should ensure they’re targeting their ongoing marketing campaigns to tap into this consumer trend as we move through the year.”
Of the average £686 expected to be spent, staycationers are planning to spend the majority – £324 – on accommodation and travel. A further £125 will be put aside to enjoy the delights of UK food and drink, and £123 will be spent on new attire and shopping whilst away. On average, £73 will be budgeted to pay for visits to local attractions including museums and theme parks.
Younger travellers aged between 18- 24 are set to spend around 45 per cent less (£104) than the UK average (£227) on accommodation making big savings with the use of hostels and Airbnb.
Comments are closed.