Of the many ways coronavirus has affected life in 2020, the way Brits holiday is certainly high up that list. When Boris Johnson first announced the lifting of some lockdown restrictions in June, bookings for holidays skyrocketed. Hoseasons, a British brand offering luxurious scenic lodges, was recording one booking every 11 seconds. Can we expect to see this trend continue into 2021?
With many seeing this as a ‘lost year’ for travel, it seems so. Our August QT report found that one third of us have booked, or plan to book, a holiday abroad in 2021. Just 15% said the same for the remainder of this year. This is further supported by 38% of respondents saying they do not plan to travel abroad in 2020, with this figure reducing to 17% for next year. Flight booking platform Skyscanner also saw a 368% increase in searches for international travel in August, suggesting an optimism among Brits that holidaying abroad will return to some sort of normality next year.
However, uncertainty around ongoing restrictions could see the UK’s staycation industry continue to benefit. With 31% of Brits avoiding booking holidays abroad until things have calmed down. Considering the Government’s recent announcement that current restrictions will last for six months, the optimism we saw for international travel in August could be questioned. As long as self-isolation upon return from popular foreign destinations remains compulsory, staycations within the UK are likely to provide a more practical option for certain consumer groups, particularly families.
With winter approaching and talk of challenging months ahead, it is likely that booking a holiday will be one way that we look forward to the (hopefully!) sunnier times in 2021. The New Year period is traditionally one of the busiest times for holiday bookings, and despite a potentially more challenging economic climate, travel operators, both international and domestic, will be looking for signs of optimism in the market.
Sources
Sky News: “One Booking Every 11 Seconds As Brits Scramble To Buy Staycations”: https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-one-booking-every-11-seconds-as-brits-scramble-to-buy-staycations-12013892
The QT August 2020
BBC News: “New COVID Restrictions Could Last Six Months, Says Boris Johnson”: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54250696
