Changing travel rules and shifting restrictions have thrown summer travel into chaos for many Brits, but with summer temperatures high, Britain’s campsites have been doing well, even as hotels report big vacancy rates.
Nearly half of campsites report being fully reserved through the end of August, but hotel industry analysts have told the Guardian (UK) that they are struggling. Hotels in London report they are 76% less occupied than last year. Many hotels have still not opened.
Comparable rates for Edinburgh are similar at 76%; Manchester reported 69% below last year. Open hotels, for the first two weeks of July, were averaging under 25% occupancy.
WIth the opening of intra-European travel in July, many UK travelers headed for traditional sunny spots in Spain and Portugal, a decision now thrown into question by new outbreaks in those countries, which have led to new quarantine rules for returnees.
However, while waves of August trips have been canceled by both agencies and vacationers, travel agencies report that for Portugal at least, British travelers are holding onto reservations for September and October travel. Some agencies are not allowing new reservations, however.
