Miserable British weather has prompted Brits
to avoid ‘staycations’ and book holidays in sunnier climes, a study has shown.
Three-quarters of respondents in BDRC’s
Annual Holiday Trends Survey said they were planning to get away abroad this
year, compared to two-thirds in the previous year.
Tourists are also thinking about spending
longer overseas. Around 95 per cent said they were hoping to take a break of
seven or more nights, compared to 89 per cent last year.
At the same time, the number of holidaymakers
planning to stay in the UK has fallen for the first time in four years, with
travellers citing “the weather” as one of the biggest factors in their decision
to go abroad.
Steve Mills, director at BDRC Continental,
said that these findings were supported by positive early-year figures for many
major tour operators and travel agencies. However, he also noted that because tourism
is very dependent on last-minute bookings, the market is volatile and could
still change dramatically.
Sarah Parkin
www.discountinsurance.co.uk/
