A year ago, the term “staycation” didn’t exist to most people. However, thanks to a rather large hiatus from normal life, including a series of travel restrictions, we’re all now familiar with the concept of a domestic getaway. Indeed, for most of the past 12-15 months, it’s been the only sort of trip we’ve been able to enjoy.
While we teeter on the edge of normality as we head into summer 2021, it’s likely that normal holidaying is still largely off the cards. With it either being too late to book or too much hard work to get where you want to go, summer this year will firmly remain a predominantly staycation season. If you’re wondering whether to get involved, here are four key reasons why you should.
Easy travel
As much as we all look forward to that week in Alicante or a three-month backpacking extravaganza around Europe, there is a lot of admin that comes with a trip abroad. Getting to and from the airport on time, arranging travel to your accommodation once you’re at the other side, a turbulent three-hour plane journey with some restless kids – all of these are accepted nuisances that come with getting away that, in reality, we’d rather not have to deal with.
Take a UK staycation, though, and beyond booking where you’re staying, all you need to do is hop in the car and go. That gives you a lot less hassle with a lot more flexibility, regardless of whether you’re looking for a day, week or month away.
Affordability
Some people like to spend a fortune on holidays. Even if you don’t, you might not have a choice in spending a lot to get to where you want to go abroad – especially this year where the price of a holiday has risen by 37.5% compared to 2019.
With no flights, airport parking or visas to worry about, staycations are going to be far cheaper than their foreign equivalents. Whether that means you choose to splash out on a luxury UK trip or use the money saved as part of a wider budgeting plan to go on a grand, exotic holiday in the future, the affordability of staycations is a universal plus point.
Discover the UK’s inner beauty
It’s very easy to forget that we live in a rather popular destination for foreign tourists, perhaps because most of us are sick of the sight of our own four walls and the village, town or city around it. With the typical holidaying Brit being a sunseeker, the vast and varied beauty of the UK is often ignored in favour of sun, sea and sand.
But the UK offers some of the most diverse and engaging geology and topology going. From breath-taking mountain scenes in the far reaches of Scotland to the rich history of England’s capital, there’s plenty of unique and memorable adventures waiting on your doorstep.
We have, for the record, got some jolly nice beaches too – you just might not want to go for a swim some days.
Support local business
Coronavirus helped us forget about the seemingly never-ending Brexit palaver for a bit, but the reality of our recent departure from the EU is a bleak one for many UK businesses that rely on foreign business to stay afloat. With much of the normal foreign tourist industry cut off from visiting our shores, local businesses UK-wide need all the help they can get right now. A staycation is a great way to support enterprises that are in desperate need of help.
According to Snaptrip, two million jobs are created by the UK travel industry, with inbound tourism worth around £50 billion every year. Hefty numbers, and ones that could take a hit without or help. The good news is that staycation bookings are up 460% this year against those in 2019, which will hopefully go some way to covering off the losses faced by the tourism and Brexit-affected industries.
If you get involved, not only will you get to enjoy a lovely trip away, but you can be happy knowing you’ve done your bit for local business too.
