Brits are relying on the thought of holidays to get them through lockdown, with a third planning to take more trips than ever when restrictions are lifted to make up for lost time. A study of 2,000 adults found 56% are using their future holiday plans to keep them going.
And seven in 10 have even created a ‘bucket list’ of the places they want to go and the experiences they want to have as soon as they can travel again. Half of those polled (49%) feel the pandemic and travel restrictions have actually made them more open to trying new things in the future.
When it comes to travel, exploring a new location (49 per cent) and trying new activities which will take them out of their comfort zone (29 per cent) are among the things Brits are most looking forward to.
But 54% can’t wait to spend time with friends and family on holiday, 45 per cent are just eager to leave their home and one in 10 simply want to be able to use their annual leave.
Graham Donoghue, chief executive of Sykes Holiday Cottages, which commissioned the research, said: “We all need something to look forward to, and for a lot of people a holiday is top of the list. This wanderlust seems to be one of the main things pulling us through the months ahead. Brits also seem more open than ever to new experiences that they perhaps wouldn’t have considered before the pandemic.”
The study found that eating out and day trips to the city and countryside were among the other experiences people are most looking forward to after the pandemic. But despite the excitement for holidays, 41% don’t think foreign travel will be able to go ahead this year. More than a third (36%) are already planning a staycation for this year instead, with 68 per cent even considering a holiday somewhere within their own county.
In fact, 55% of those who took a staycation last year no longer feel they need to travel as far for holidays as they enjoyed it so much. The study, conducted via OnePoll, also found half of adults are likely to take more weekend trips and short breaks instead of longer ones later in 2021. And on average, Brits are planning three breaks in the 12 months after travel restrictions are lifted.
Donoghue added: “We haven’t been able to travel abroad for so long now, and within that time it seems people have found a new appreciation for the UK and all it has to offer. Our attitudes towards holidaying have shifted and it’s great to see that more of us are planning to stay closer to home in the future.”
Top 30 things on Brits’ bucketlist
- Going to a restaurant
- Visiting a relatives’ house
- Visiting a friends’ house
- Giving someone a hug
- Having a drink with a friend
- Going to the beach
- Going to the pub
- Going to a coffee shop
- Taking a trip with all the family
- Taking city trips
- Going to the hairdressers
- Sitting in someone's back garden
- Taking a trip with friends
- Going to the countryside
- Going to the cinema
- Going to a shopping centre
- Going to the theatre
- Going to a music concert
- Visiting a museum
- Going for a pleasure drive
- Having a long walk
- Going to the park
- Having a party
- Attending sporting events
- Going to the spa
- Visiting art galleries
- Going to the gym
- Going to amusement parks
- Time off work
- Going camping
