The growing trend among the British tourism industry is the rise of the staycation. More and more of us are choosing to travel domestically when the summer comes around, and the “staycation economy” is experiencing unprecedented growth.
A study conducted by the travel marketing group Sojern found that, based on bookings made by British holidaymakers who planned to take a staycation between June and August 2017, there has been a rise of nearly one-quarter when compared to bookings made for the same time period in 2016. Another growing trend related to the rising popularity of staycations is the length of holidays being planned. The data compiled by Sojern also revealed that over one-half of staycationers planned to go on holiday for around only three days.
The reasons for the growing staycation trend are hard to pin down, as each family makes their holiday choices based on different criteria. For some, the current exchange rate climate means that it is more economical to travel domestically. This has been confirmed by multiple property rental agencies, who say they have experienced a rise in bookings from continental Europe as a result of a favourable exchange rate between the euro and the pound, while conversely they have seen a drop in British bookings to continental Europe. The post-Brexit effect on exchange rates is clearly having a noticeable effect on British holidaymakers’ choices when it comes to their summer breaks.
Others have cited more intangible reasons for wanting to remain within the U.K. for their summer holidays. For some, a short domestic trip is much cheaper and more convenient than an international holiday destination. Holidaymakers’ taking domestic trips also tend to visit areas near family members, adding another incentive for the staycation. Staycations have also become more fashionable due to long working hours, with holidaymakers taking short breaks in the few days off that they have. However, for other holidaymakers, cost and convenience do not enter the picture; the British countryside offers many areas of breathtaking natural beauty, and many people wish to experience the best of what British has to offer before they look further afield.
Despite the rising popularity of the staycation, Spain is still the most popular holiday destination for British tourists, who are second only to the Americans in terms of international visitors. British tourists are also still dominant in keys markets, such as the United States, Spain, Italy, and Australia. British tourism is still a powerful force around the world, but is interesting that the staycation has now become the second most popular destination for British tourists, with the domestic market being just behind the U.S. in terms of the number of British visitors.
With a whole world to explore for British holidaymakers, the number of holidays being taken is only going to increase. The staycation has led to a much-needed boom in domestic tourism, while many British people still look to more exotic locations for their breaks. Whichever approach takes your fancy, get the ball rolling on your summer holiday plans by booking your Manchester parking today.