25m Brits ‘staycationing’ this summer
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The UK holiday sector enjoying a boost this summer as Brits ditch their passports in favour of a staycation.
Recent research from VoucherCodes.co.uk found that 25 million Brits (51 per cent) are opting to holiday in the UK this summer – seven per cent more than staycationed last year.
The effects of Brexit and the recent heatwave have compounded this, with further research conducted since the referendum revealing a further 2.5 million more people are opting for a staycation this summer.
The average staycationer is expected to splash £686 on their home-based break, an increase of 55 per cent from last year (£442). Site data from VoucherCodes.co.uk shows this trend is already benefiting UK retailers with searches for UK hotels and tourist attractions up 202 per cent and 190 per cent respectively compared to 2015. The camping sector looks to be benefitting the most with searches for camping gear up 364 per cent compared to last year.
The heatwave has also impacted Brits’ plans to get out in the British sunshine with searches for UK tourist attractions and theme parks up 242 per cent and 196 per cent respectively over the past seven days. Searches for car hire are also up by 163 per cent as Brits look to head further afield to enjoy the long-awaited good weather.
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.
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 |
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.
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 said: “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.”
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