Travel firms are reporting a trend of UK holidaymakers booking shorter, domestic stays closer to their travel dates.
According to several of the UK’s leading holiday companies speaking to the BBC, this shift is driven by individuals seeking to economize while still taking advantage of favorable weather conditions.
Booking.com notes a 23% increase in July searches for UK trips within the following six weeks compared to the previous year. Similarly, AirBnB reports a rise in Britons “embracing spontaneous getaways close to home.”
Pitchup.com, which lists approximately 3,000 UK campsites, indicates that a quarter of this year’s bookings were made with a mere two days’ notice.
Sykes Holiday Cottages, representing 23,000 properties across the UK, has observed an 8% reduction in the time between booking and travel this year.
Airbnb also stated, “all signs point to a summer where guests are again choosing quieter, affordable places.”
At Butlin’s holiday park in Skegness, reservations are being made slightly later than in previous years, with bookings up 22% in the last two weeks.
“I think the whole industry is seeing it,” says resort director Andrew Leivers.
“The last couple of weeks we’ve seen a real surge,” he adds. “We’ve got three, four and seven-night breaks… for different people’s budgets.”
Among the 80,000 holidaymakers visiting the resort this summer are the Harmston family from Lincoln.
Mum Kirsty says: “We only booked it about two weeks before we came. We always try and get a last minute deal. We’d saved the money so we knew what our budget was and tried to grab a bargain.”
She explained that booking an all-inclusive stay in the UK allowed her to manage expenses effectively.
“The worst thing of going on holiday is everything else is added on top so you’ve planned your holiday you look at the price you’ve paid and you’ve got to pay extra and extra.”
Kayleigh Fry is at Butlin’s for four nights with her sister-in-law Kelly Towers and her children Casey and Corey and their cousin Marley.
Kelly says short breaks can be more convenient for families.
“It’s easier. You can take a lot more with you when you stay in this country. There are so many pretty places out there in the UK.”
Nigel Dutton, owner of Manor Wood Country Caravan Park, has observed that people are booking later to capitalize on favorable weather in the UK.
“Short breaks seem to be the name of the game at the moment,” he says.
“People can pre-pay, it’s all budgeted, so they know exactly what it’s going to cost them. I think we are seeing a revival of camping. It’s a nice way to get outdoors, get away from the stress without spending too much.”
Chelsea and Adam Mahony from Manchester exemplified this trend, booking an impromptu camping trip with their sons Gray and Rex.
“We decided last week that we couldn’t afford to go abroad this year so we bought a cheap tent online and thought let’s just try something closer to home,” says Chelsea.
“They’ve got some fresh air and room to run around. It doesn’t feel like home which is the main thing really.”
Andy and Kate Davis from Dudley camp regularly with their children Sam and Poppy.
“It’s a cheaper holiday than going abroad and we still get a break with the kids,” says Andy.
This year they’ve upgraded their kit. “I’ve bought a new carpet and a new vacuum as well,” he says.
They are not alone, sports retailer Decathlon has informed the BBC that family tent sales have increased by 60% compared to last year, while GO Outdoors has seen a 20% rise in camping equipment sales.
Both retailers note a growing number of customers, like the Davis family, are investing in upgraded camping gear, including mattresses, carpets, and furniture.
Their family camping trip has received high praise from six-year-old Poppy: “I just really like coming with my friends and family. I just really like sleeping in a tent, even though my dad really wants a caravan.”
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