UK camping, caravan & staycations: Britons set to swarm this seaside destination first
DOMESTIC holidays in the UK may be the only chance at a break most of the nation, but it seems that is more than enough for eager Britons. One beach destination has come out on top as the location most Britons are set to swamp first. Will you be visiting?
UK travel: Simon Calder gives advice on booking staycations
After almost eleven weeks of government-enforced lockdown, many Britons are keen to get on holiday. Though international travel might not be an option as the Foreign Office continues to advise against all nonessential travel, staycations could well be on the cards from July. With Britons already dreaming of their next mini-break, it seems one seaside destination is proving most popular.
With temperatures anticipated to heat up in July and August, it’s no wonder Britons are eager to get to the coast.
A recent survey conducted by Click4Reg.co.uk analysed the popularity of Airbnb searches in UK coastal retreats, and found that Brighton, in particular, seemed to be drawing Britons in their masses.
The seaside resort in East Sussex is famed for its toasty temperatures and quaint aesthetic, drawing in around 11 million visitors in 2019 alone.
More than 1.5 million people reportedly opted to stay overnight in the beach town, with 1.14 million of those stays taken by British people.
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With staycations skyrocketing in popularity after lockdown, this figure could be set to climb.
However, the region has also seen losses during lockdown from the decline in foot traffic at a time of year that would usually be one of its busiest.
According to VisitBritain, the UK tourism industry as a whole could be left with an £11 billion black hole if lockdown measures continue throughout the summer.
Once it is safe to do so, an increase in tourists could be welcome to the region’s economy.
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Tourism supports more than 21,000 jobs in the area according to Councillor Alan Robins, who chairs the council’s Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee.
However, seaside and natural beauty spots have also raised concerns in recent weeks about the potential dangers an influx in tourists could have if the government does not make clear how we can officially stop the spread of COVID-19.
Brighton was not the only seaside report popular amongst holiday hopefuls.
Bournemouth came in second for searches, with Whitby, Blackpool and Llandudno in Wales following close behind.
Other destinations that made the list were Lyme Regis, Newquay, Margate, Tenby, Torquay, St Ives, Swansea, Weymouth, Whitstable, Eastbourne, Falmouth, Hastings, Portrush, Scarborough and Swanage.
Britons are being urged to help breathe life back into the damaged domestic tourism industry, by booking staycations where they can.
“For now, stay at home, follow the UK Government advice and enjoy your travelling online,” commented Patricia Yates, chief executive of VisitBritain.
“If you have a favourite hotel or restaurant or attraction you could buy a voucher for a future visit to help with cash flow.
"And of course when Government advice changes and we are once more allowed to roam consider revisiting or exploring somewhere new and having an extra holiday at home.
"Our tourist sector is one of the most vibrant and successful in the world - it needs you to make sure it bounces back once more."
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However, travel expert Simon Calder appeared on ITV’S This Morning earlier this week to provide a stark warning about booking too soon.
“You can start dreaming about it,” he said.
“You can ever start booking, but be warned that quite a lot of accommodation providers are entirely reasonably going to say ‘if you can’t get here because of government restrictions then we are not going to give you a full refund in cash, we will allow you to postpone your booking until later in the year or maybe 2021.’
“You can’t be absolutely certain that you will just get your cash back if you can’t get there.”
