British families used to holiday in the Canary Islands instead of Cornwall in search of warmer weather. Now, this is also becoming a money-saving strategy to escape rising food and fuel prices back home.
Half of Brits see an all-inclusive holiday abroad as a cheaper alternative to a holiday in the UK, according to On the Beach research carried out between 17 and 18 August. British travelers helped boost hotel bookings in Spain to near pre-pandemic levels and international tourist arrivals at Greece’s main airports surpassed 2019 numbers.
While the average price for six nights for a family of four in Cornwall is lower than in the Canaries and Greek islands, packages to the latter destinations often include food and drink costs, and sometimes even some entertainment – and sunnier beaches. Booking.com data analyzed by Bloomberg Intelligence showed that a trip to Cornwall would only be the cheapest option if families spent less than €90 on food and drinks each day. This may prove difficult to do amid record price rises for everything from sausages to butter in the UK.
“Rising costs of fuel, food and other consumer goods have made Britain an expensive holiday destination for its citizens,” said Zoe Harris, chief customer officer at travel agency On the Beach. “Spending £3,000 for a week’s break in the UK is absolute madness when you can go all-inclusive in Cyprus for half the price.”
Staycation holidays are no longer the obvious choice for Brits given the cost of living crisis, with low-cost flights available for less than €100 and travel agencies offering cheaper deals abroad. On the Beach has a computer that shows potential customers all-inclusive holiday deals in resorts such as Portugal or Turkey, which are on average 49% cheaper than destinations such as Devon. Also, the most expensive all-inclusive holiday package to the Greek islands on Booking.com in August was still cheaper than the most expensive Cornwall option, according to Bloomberg Intelligence.
“People can save hundreds of pounds more on holidays to destinations where they can experience new cultures, experience different foods and benefit from a much greater chance of decent weather,” said Harris.
Source: Capital
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