Staycations Will give Britain £5bn boost
BRITISH holidaymakers will splash out £5billion on staycations this summer with overseas travel still off-limits.
Almost half are said to be keen on a domestic holiday, with the UK tourism industry set for a dramatic and much-needed boost.
And experts believe the move could see many families discovering hidden gems on their doorstep.
VisitBritain director Patricia Yates said: “This really is the year to rediscover the crown jewels of tourism in our cities with their outstanding mix of contemporary culture, buzzing hospitality, world-renowned heritage and first-class visitor attractions.
“As we head towards the peak summer season it is timely to highlight just how important tourism is to the UK economy.
“An industry usually worth about £127billion annually, employing 3.1 million people and supporting 200,000 small-to-medium sized businesses right across the country, many of these in coastal towns and rural communities.”
Latest figures show 42 per cent of Britons are confident about taking a domestic trip in June, rising to 48 per cent in July and 60 per cent in
September. VisitBritain estimates domestic tourists will spend £5.1billion this year.
International visitors are expected to spend £6.2billion, down from £28.4billion pre-pandemic.
In Cornwall, tourism is worth £1.8billion a year, a figure likely to be significantly boosted by exposure from the G7 Summit.
Malcolm Bell, chief executive of Visit Cornwall, said: “Cornwall has always been one, if not the, most popular UK summer holiday destination and no more so than this year as overseas holidays appear very unlikely until late summer.
“Bookings are coming in thick and fast, so now is the time to book with confidence as businesses are providing cancellation policies to cover in the event that Covid-19 interrupts their plans.”
The thirst for staycations comes as figures reveal the average price of a holiday to Portugal plunged by 64 per cent after last week’s decision to put the country on the amber travel list. Seven-night package holidays for
a family during the school holidays are now available from as little as £180 per person.
Under current rules, travel is permitted but tourists are subject to 10 days of isolation on return.
Expert Emma Coulthurst, of TravelSupermarket, said: “It would, in normal times, be fairly hard to find a seven-night package holiday during the summer school holidays from under £300 per person. You can understand why it has got to the point where foreign holidays from the UK during this period are available from under £200.
“The industry has many holidays to sell.
“Yet, the Government’s failure last week to offer a watch list and base its decisions on countries’ data has created a lack of clarity for holidaymakers. Also, many people do not want to or are unable to self-isolate.
“Prices are often the most expensive at the start of the school holidays as people are itching to get away as soon as they can.
“This year, they are some of the cheapest due to the current confusion and chaos over how the traffic light system is implemented.”