Older travellers were most likely to want to pay more money for a safer trip (£1,436 vs £1,233 of under 35s), pick a destination based on its safety in terms of COVID-19 (31% vs 24%) consider the risks of the country going back into lockdown (30% vs 24%), and the state of the health service in the country they planned to visit (27% vs 21%).
72% of Britons would be prepared to cut corners to save money on the cost of a holiday abroad in the next year – and it is the nation’s youngest travellers that are most likely to put themselves and others at risk in the pursuit of a cheap holiday, according to new data from specialist travel insurance provider AllClear.
Following a summer when many people put holiday plans on hold, the AllClear data suggests that some people will be having a belated overseas break during the autumn and winter months [see notes to editors]. For those planning a holiday, the research highlights polarised attitudes between young and older travellers on matters relating to safety and holiday spend.
Under 25s: Cutting corners for a bargain break
AllClear’s data reveals that 90% of under 25-year olds would be prepared to cut corners in order to have a cheaper holiday abroad. High on the list of economies the under 25s were most likely to make – 20% would be happy to rely on public transport overseas, despite risks relating to social distancing, just under one in five young travellers (16%) would go for the cheapest possible insurance cover and 10% said they would be happy to travel abroad with no insurance at all.
Over 55s: Prepared to pay more to put safety first
In sharp contrast to the under 25s, the over 55 holiday makers were those least likely to cut corners (54%) – and least likely to travel without insurance (4%) or to entertain the false economy of buying cheap insurance cover (7%).
Older travellers were most likely to want to pay more money for a safer trip (£1,436 vs £1,233 of under 35s), pick a destination based on its safety in terms of COVID-19 (31% vs 24%) consider the risks of the country going back into lockdown (30% vs 24%), and the state of the health service in the country they planned to visit (27% vs 21%). The over 55s were also those most likely to ensure they had insurance that covered them for issues relating to Covid-19 (28% vs 20%).
The measure of ‘safety first’ becoming the dominant consideration for the older traveller is reflected in how much the ‘essentials to pack’ list has changed compared to previous years. Sweeping aside traditional items such as travel money, sunglasses, credit cards, guides and sun cream, the new items joining the passport as the most essential items to pack comprised of: Face masks (32% vs 25% of under 35s); medicines for pre-existing medical conditions (31% vs 17%); and insurance documents (31% vs 16%).
Chris Rolland, Chief Executive at AllClear commented: “Whilst summer season is now over, a steady number of people are still planning overseas breaks through the autumn, winter and spring months. There won’t be a stampede but instead a steady flow, as many Brits ensure they get their break abroad when it is safe to do so.
“Our research suggests stark generational differences on attitudes to travel. The over 50s are setting the example for us all by putting safety first and being prepared to pay more for it. Many older people are travelling to visit children and relatives and they are responsibly assessing the risks. With young travellers, the drive for a cheap break is not always well thought through and some of these travellers could be sleep-walking into trouble.
“Since the outbreak of the pandemic, AllClear has led an agenda on responsible travel and we have worked hard through the summer to design a comprehensive insurance package to help make travel safe for older travellers and those with pre-existing medical conditions. We encourage everyone to follow the latest government advice and to weigh up all the safety considerations before making a trip. For those that do travel, AllClear has designed its cover to try to protect them every step of the way.”
Months when people are considering having a holiday abroad
[note: percentages do not add up to 100 as some people plan more than one holiday]
|
Month |
National average |
Over 55s |
|
September 2020 |
13% |
11% |
|
October 2020 |
11% |
9% |
|
November 2020 |
7% |
9% |
|
December 2020 |
9% |
6% |
|
January 2021 |
4% |
3% |
|
February 2021 |
4% |
3% |
|
March 2021 |
9% |
9% |
|
April 2021 |
9% |
9% |
|
May 2021 |
9% |
14% |
|
June 2021 |
9% |
11% |
|
July 2021 |
9% |
9% |
|
August 2021 |
9% |
6% |
|
September 2021 |
9% |
14% |
Packing list essentials in an era of COVID
|
|
Total |
18-34 |
35-54 |
55+ |
Male |
Female |
|
Passport |
47% |
36% |
48% |
55% |
45% |
49% |
|
Face masks |
30% |
28% |
28% |
32% |
26% |
33% |
|
Hand sanitiser |
24% |
23% |
27% |
23% |
20% |
28% |
|
Insurance documents (with details of health cover) |
24% |
16% |
23% |
31% |
22% |
26% |
|
Medicines (for preconditions) |
23% |
17% |
19% |
31% |
22% |
24% |
|
Phone charger |
18% |
21% |
18% |
16% |
16% |
21% |
|
Foreign currency |
18% |
16% |
18% |
20% |
20% |
17% |
|
Credit cards |
17% |
15% |
16% |
21% |
20% |
14% |
|
Sun cream |
13% |
15% |
14% |
11% |
13% |
14% |
|
Hand wipes |
11% |
11% |
12% |
10% |
10% |
13% |
Key considerations when booking a holiday
|
Total |
18-34 |
35-54 |
55+ |
Male |
Female |
|
|
Picking a destination based on its safety in terms of Covid-19 |
29% |
24% |
30% |
31% |
26% |
32% |
|
The risk of the country going back into lockdown |
28% |
24% |
29% |
30% |
26% |
31% |
|
Social distancing on flights – not getting on a packed plane |
26% |
22% |
27% |
27% |
24% |
27% |
|
Having the best insurance cover that fully covers me for Covid-19 |
24% |
20% |
23% |
28% |
22% |
26% |
|
The state of the health service in the country I'm visiting |
24% |
21% |
25% |
27% |
23% |
25% |
|
The prospect of having to go into quarantine when I'm back |
20% |
18% |
22% |
19% |
19% |
20% |
|
Comfort that airports would be safe |
19% |
19% |
19% |
20% |
19% |
20% |
|
Avoiding using public transport |
18% |
15% |
20% |
18% |
18% |
18% |
|
Good customer reviews online for the safety of the resort |
17% |
20% |
16% |
16% |
15% |
19% |
|
Paying more for quality insurance rather than getting the cheapest cover |
14% |
16% |
13% |
15% |
14% |
14% |
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.
