UK holiday makers turn to staycations, but will it last?
Concerns over Covid-19 have prompted many Britons to take a holiday in the UK this year. Aside from the risk of contractng coronavirus, many Brits are worried about being turned away from some destinations just as restrictions are introduced - sometimes with little warning. They are also fretting about quarantine restrictions being introduced just as they return to the UK - which could mean having to stay at home for 14 days.
So it's understandable then that many Britons are holidaying at home this summer.
Consequently, there has been a huge spike in demand for accommodation in Britain's national parks and coastal areas. Cottage owners, campsites and holiday parks have seen a flood of queries for their accommodation.
For instance, interest in UK cottage breaks through MoneySupermarket have soared 235 percent from June to July.
And according to VisitBritian, 14m UK adults intend to take a staycation before September. Given that 22m UK breaks were taken last year between July and August, this is still a low number - but could be regarded as relatively high considering the ongoing concerns surrounding the pandemic.
How long will this surge last?
The summer staycation surge will be an economic boon for the domestic economy, which will lose an estimated £22bn this year as overseas visitors stay away (particularly from London). But the UK's own holiday infrastructure is simply not large enough to handle this volume of UK visitors; demand is far outstipping accommodation supply, particularly over weekends, and particularly in the countryside which is receiving so many visitors.
National parks have complained of people wild camping and leaving vast amounts of rubbish behind. A lack of public toilets has also resulted in an unpleasant clean-up job for national park workers and volunteers.
While some believe the renewed interest in UK staycations could trigger an investment boom in resort towns that have been in decline for decades, others believe that, once overseas destinations open up again, the staycationers will quickly dry up.
Staycation costs rise
Taking a UK break is rarely cheap, but the demand for staycations has seen prices increase. Because reaching full capacity is now much more likely, dynamic pricing can see prices surge for late bookers.
Pent-up demand for overseas trips?
The Financial Times asked Peter Morales, who manages 13 cottages in Northumberland, whether the staycation surge would continue into next year and beyond.
“It might work the other way that all the international spaces are open next year and people thought ‘I couldn't go last year. I'll try it now',” he said.
Either way, the UK is a country that dearly loves its holidays. According to the ABTA Holiday Habits poll, in 2018, just 14% of respondents took no holiday at all. 26 per cent took a UK-only break, and 17 per cent took an abroad-only trip. However, 43 percent took both a UK and an overseas holiday.
While next year may see a dramatic return of the overseas break, one thing is apparent: neither pandemic nor recession will dissuade the average Brit from taking a holiday!
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