Owners Direct reveals that Britons are opting to holiday at home this October half-term, thanks to the unseasonably warm September. October half-term “staycations” are up 30 per cent on last year. Demand for winter sun and Mediterranean holiday destinations is 10 per cent down on last year.
LONDON, UK – According to Met Office figures, September was the driest across the UK since records began in 1910. It also finished in the top five warmest, which Owners Direct claims has led many holiday makers to swap their usual October half-term hop to the Med or winter sun escape for a “staycation”.
Figures from holiday home specialist, Owners Direct have revealed that demand for the October half-term week is up by 15 per cent overall on last year and, for holidays in the UK & Ireland, demand has jumped 30 per cent, with Cornwall, Devon and Cumbria topping the list of most popular destinations for a half-term escape. In contrast, demand for Mediterranean and traditional winter sun destinations has dipped by 10 per cent year on year4.
“We would expect to see the traditional October holiday hotspots of Mallorca, Tenerife and Lanzarote firmly in the top 105 for a half-term getaway but it seems that Brits are swapping The Canaries for Cornwall this year, potentially because they have already enjoyed a balmy September right here in the UK and aren’t experiencing the usual urge to escape to sunnier climes”, said Erica Chang, Senior Regional Director, Owners Direct.
“When we looked at the impact of the warm September on enquiries from our customers we found that only two overseas destinations – Lanzarote and Costa Del Sol – made the top 104, with Cornwall, Devon, Cumbria, Yorkshire, Dorset, North Wales, Derbyshire and Norfolk all streets ahead. Compared with enquiries made in September last year, for October half-term holidays, Tenerife, Mallorca, Costa del Sol and Lanzarote all made the top 104.
“We’re predicting that October half-term will be a bumper week for tourism in the UK with Cornwall set to be the holiday hotspot.”
Owners Direct have advised that it’s not too late to plan an October half-term family getaway as there are still great-value breaks to be found for the holiday week (25 October – 2 November 2014) via the company’s portfolio of more than 75,000 villas, apartments, chalets, cottages and farmhouses.
|
Ranking |
2013 |
2014 |
|
1 |
Cornwall |
Cornwall |
|
2 |
Yorkshire |
Devon |
|
3 |
Devon |
Cumbria |
|
4 |
Cumbria |
Yorkshire |
|
5 |
Mallorca |
Dorset |
|
6 |
Costa del Sol |
North Wales |
|
7 |
Dorset |
Derbyshire |
|
8 |
Lanzarote |
Norfolk |
|
9 |
Tenerife |
Costa del Sol |
|
10 |
Norfolk |
Lanzarote |
Photo caption: Cornwall.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
