With the recession biting deeper with each passing week, a foreign holiday is considered something of a luxury these days. Rising numbers of Brits are choosing to go on camping holidays, take short breaks to the seaside or even visit family at the other end of the country rather than pass through an airport on their way to the sun.
A study by Jungle Formula, an insect repellent brand, found that on average, one in five people living in Great Britain have never been on a foreign holiday, with the two thousand participants giving a multitude of reasons for this rather surprising discovery.
The language barrier, fears about dealing with immigration officials and concerns about what to do if taken ill at the holiday destination were all reasons given by participants for staying safely within British boundaries. In fact, a third of participants revealed that they struggle to make themselves understood in a foreign language.
Other factors came in to play too, including those which kicked in before the plane even took off from the commercial property airport in the UK. 62 per cent of interviewees claimed that even having to visit an airport made them unwilling to consider booking a holiday abroad. Yet the fact that Britain is an island also played a part, as 76 per cent of people revealed that they found the long flights which usually go hand in hand with a foreign break too much effort to be worthwhile.
A Jungle Formula spokesperson said; “There was a time when people felt they hadn’t been on holiday unless they had been on a plane.
“But it seems that more people than ever are content to stay in the UK.
“The recession has also had an effect, with people having to tighten their belts and stop splashing out on luxuries like a foreign holiday.”
Even those who had chosen to visit a commercial property hotel in another country did not seem overly enamoured of the idea. Half of participants surveyed claimed to have fallen ill or had some kind of injury whilst out of the country – possibly the same half who mentioned in the study that they wished they had simply stayed in the UK.
It cannot be denied that the economic forecast has had a significant impact upon the holiday plans of many Britons, as 45 per cent of participants claimed not to be financially justified in booking a foreign holiday right now.
Yet the fact that many people are simply choosing to take a staycation instead cannot be ignored – and these people may have a point. Staycations remove the issues of the language barrier, worrying about what to pack, keeping up to date with vaccinations and, of course, the seemingly endless choice of which airline to choose to provide value for money.
Although this may be bad news for travel agents, businesses around the UK will be thrilled by these results, as most could use all the revenue they can get in the current financial situation. With Brits foregoing Barcelona for Blackpool, and choosing Cowes over Cannes, beachside businesses could still look forward to a roaring trade for the remainder of the summer.
Would you choose a British break over a sunshine holiday abroad? Where in the UK do you recommend as an excellent short or long term staycation destination? Tell us in the comments section below.
