Are We bored of Abroad? – Why UK holidays are the Next Big Thing

Millions of holidaymakers are abandoning the beaches of far flung climes and sticking with a staycation in the UK – and in bigger numbers than ever before. Good news for the domestic economy, holidaying Brits are choosing to spend their hard-earned cash and home. The figures make for great reading…

In the first quarter of 2016, 10% more people were holidaying in England than at the same time in 2015, a Rise of some 7.3 million holidaymakers.

But why? What has changed to prompt people to stay on home shores?

• Soaring Prices

  The average holiday for a family of four in mainland Europe has shot up by £245. Blamed on the post-Brexit slump, the fall in the value of the pound, higher costs for aviation fuel and the like have all contributed to making the holiday to foreign climes a bit steeper in terms of cost.

  With wages and salaries staying the same, inflation wobbling and the costs of some goods and services also increasing, most people are choosing to ditch the foreign holiday for the wonders of the UK.

• Uncertainty

  There is no doubt that terrorist incidents such as the shootings on a Sardinian beach in June 2015, along with many other incidents, have caused many people to reevaluate their holidaying destinations.

  Likewise, the perceived uncertainties around flying, changes in what you can and cannot take on the planes and the ever-prevalent and perceived increasing terrorist threat is putting people off from holidaying abroad.

  That said, the UK is not immune to attacks on home soil as the atrocity in London in March of this year highlights.Since April 2016, there has been a 28% fall in tourists visiting Turkey, although perceived terrorists threat is not the only reason why this is happening.

  Losing Money 

  

  Booking a holiday abroad essentially means paying hundreds of pounds upfront, sometimes 2 to 3 months before you step foot in the airport.

  But this has its downside as 140,000 people found out who had pre-booked trips through the travel website Lowcostholidays. Filing for administration meant their money was lost and although some were compensated, some people did lose out on cash as well as their summer holiday abroad.

  Not Being Up to Scratch

  Imagine saving your cash and booking the holiday you have always wanted. Excited at a fortnight in the sun, exploring the local area and sampling local culture and traditions, your heart sinks on arrival as you find a dirty hotel room, infested with cockroaches and the view of the sea you paid extra for, blocked by the building of a new supermarket.

  It has and does happen, with Citizens Advice reporting a 35% increase in complaints relating to the breach of terms and conditions by travel firms, along with substandard accommodation, booking customers on to flights that don’t exist and finding your holiday swapped to another destination at the last minute, and without your consent.

•  Better Advertising

  

  Tourist boards in the past have been accused of creating lacklustre promotional campaigns that have failed to attract attention or excite people.

  However, things have changed and now, people are looking to what the UK has on offer. There are some hidden gems, like many of the north Wales caravan parks that boast all kinds of activities attractive to every member of the family.

  The modern holidaymaker is demanding more, and it seems that the country that can provide this is the UK. From the wilds and whiskey trails of Scotland, to the rolling dales of England, to the rugged landscape of Wales and the delights of Ireland, the savvy holidaymaker is staying home.