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With four times the average number of annual enquiries per holiday let, classic British resort Skegness is set to experience a renaissance with ‘staycationers’. Holiday home owner Debbie Ward said: “Both our properties are busier this year compared with 2011, with earlier bookings for peak weeks. The hassle of going abroad and the rising cost of living is encouraging people to holiday in the UK and rediscover some of the classic resorts.”
– With nearly as many average enquiries per property as Skegness, the Northern Irish golf resort of Portrush is the second most in-demand location, even beating the ever popular Canaries. Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board Alan Clarke commented: “Golfers Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell have helped raise the profile of Northern Ireland on the global golf circuit, and 2012 is a big year for Northern Ireland tourism with a major programme of events, celebrations and projects.”
– Already a popular bolthole with Dubai residents, Oman is starting to score high with British holidaymakers too thanks to its natural beauty and culture.
The ‘Jubilympics’ effect – how the events of summer 2012 are shaping travel trends
- The Diamond Jubilee bank holiday, when Britons can take a nine day break for just three working days’ leave, is kick-starting the summer holiday season early this year. What’s more people are choosing to stay in the UK to make sure they don’t miss out on all the celebrations – Northern Ireland has seen an impressive 500% year on year rise in demand, while Wales is up 185%, Scotland up 131% and England up 116%.
- But it’s a different story during the Olympics, when enquiry numbers show that Britons are expected to leave the UK in their droves despite Visit Britain’s multi-million pound, star-studded investment to encourage people to “holiday at home”. Enquiries for Malta, Turkey, Italy and France for late July and August are up a third compared with 2011.
Star cities – emerging city break hotspots for DIY travellers
- Turkey’s capital Istanbul is now in the top five of most in demand cities, with half of all holidaymakers to the country now visiting the city in response to increased efforts by Turkish authorities to provide events, attractions and activities.
- There’s a real buzz around the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro with the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics coming up, and that’s reflected in a huge rise in enquiry numbers from holidaymakers.
Now more than ever it’s about making the pennies go further on holidays and the Index has looked at how holidaymakers can make savvy, money-saving decisions. Save over £1,000 by opting for an apartment over a villa in Ibiza and nearly £800 by forgoing a private pool in Greece…
| Top five most enquired about cities |
| 1. New York City, USA |
| 2. Central London, UK |
| 3. Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| 4. Istanbul, Turkey |
| 5. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Resort | No pool | With pool | Saving |
| Sporades/Evia, Greece | £879 | £1,651 | £772 |
| Mediterranean Coast, Turkey | £413 | £770 | £357 |
| Costa Blanca/Valencia, Spain | £444 | £801 | £357 |
| Resort | 3 bed apartment | 3 bed villa | Saving |
| Ibiza, Spain | £1,367 | £2,528 | £1,161 |
| Sardinia, Italy | £818 | £1,595 | £776 |
| Aegean Islands, Greece | £964 | £1,712 | £748 |
“Demand for ‘book direct’ DIY holidays continues to grow as more holidaymakers are attracted by the flexibility, money-saving benefits and the enhanced personal experience of dealing direct with holiday homeowners. In fact, a new breed of ‘savvy traveller’ has emerged from the challenging economic climate – a value conscious traveller who shuns ready-made holiday packages in favour of the freedom of DIY travel and the experience of living like a local. The new Holiday Lettings Index is all about getting under the skin of this new traveller and highlighting existing and emerging trends in DIY travel,” said Kate Stinchcombe-Gillies of holidaylettings.co.uk.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
