The start of a new year often puts holiday plans on the top of our priority lists. However, 2023 is set to be a slightly different year for Brits, with more than a fifth saying they plan to axe flights abroad in favour of exploring the wonderful scenery we have on our doorstep. For many, this will involve leisure vehicles. UK holidays lend themselves to getting away in a caravan or motorhome and can be an effective way to save money.
As the cost of living crisis lingers, plenty of us have been forced to do what we can to enjoy the little luxuries we have. As we start to map out our next destinations, Coast & Country Hotel Collection surveyed the nation to reveal what holidays will look like this year, including budgets, locations and how trends have changed over the last few years.
Tens of millions of holidays will be in the UK
The number of UK holidays being taken has increased recently and this trend looks set to continue. Responses from 2,000 British adults who regularly go on vacations showed that domestic trips are growing, with 22 per cent of those surveyed having decided to only travel on British soil, rather than head off abroad in search of warmer weather.
All of us are feeling the effects of the cost of living crisis and, as a result, many people are looking for ways to cut back on non-essential spending. For five per cent of Brits, this means skipping holidays altogether, as well as cutting back on luxuries like eating out or going to the theatre.
However, for those still set on making holiday plans this year, a great way to stretch your money further is to ditch expensive flights and head off to a perfect UK staycation.
More Brits are saving for UK holidays
Almost two in five people claimed they’d be setting aside a budget of over £150 per person, per day, for a UK holiday in 2023. This figure has climbed since 2021, when only 26 per cent of Brits were putting strict budgets in place to ensure they had the funds for a domestic break.
Research from ABTA has also revealed the number of holidaymakers taking vacations within the UK is 20 per cent higher than those going abroad, while the Great Britain Tourism Survey found that the average duration of travel around our nation was 3.5 nights, as people are able to take more frequent, but shorter, trips.
Paul FitzGerald, portfolio managing director at Coast & Country Hotel Collection, said: “As people continue to be stricter with budgets in 2023 amid the energy and cost of living crisis, there’s no doubt that more people will opt for holidays and trips around the UK.
“While for some this will be their annual holiday, for others looking for a quick escape that doesn’t break the bank, it will be an alternative that doesn’t mean they have to substitute value for quality.”
The season of travel
Each year, the number of people searching for ‘last minute UK breaks’ shoots up just before bank holidays and the summer, especially once school is out. Mr FitzGerald commented: “Although our research shows that one in five have already decided on a UK holiday, we predict this number will only increase as we head towards the bank holidays and into the warmer months when ‘holiday in the UK’ has typically peaked in Google searches every year for the past three.”
As the temperatures pick up and we head toward the warmer months of 2023, British holidays are expected to continue to rise in popularity, with plenty of people seeking affordable trips that don’t sacrifice quality.
Photo credit: Pixabay / Pexels
