Staycations face 'significant changes' as the costs crisis creates new holiday trends

ITV News' Consumer Editor Chris Choi reports on the new data showcasing the impact of rising costs on UK getaways

Tourism bosses have told us of “significant changes” as holidays in the UK are reshaped by the cost of living crisis.

New data obtained by ITV News shows domestic getaways costing more - just as demand for them is increasing due to concerns about foreign heatwaves and air traffic disruption.

At the coastal town of Walton-on-the-Naze, we met with Sarah Castle, an NHS worker who is holidaying with her family at a caravan park.

She told us rising costs have led her to make changes.

Like many others, she’s reduced the number of nights she is staying: "We have gone Monday to Friday rather than a week, so yes, it’s definitely affected us quite a bit."

She’s also noticed drinks, meals, and treats for the children are much higher than in the past.

The Parkdean Naze Marine Holiday Park at Walton-on-the-Naze told us it’s seen almost a 10% rise in summer bookings.

Operations Director Barrie Robinson told ITV News that all 66 of their parks have seen an uplift in visitor numbers this year, which he thinks is due to a number of factors, including cost of living pressures.

Parkdean has seen a particularly significant increase in demand for their cheapest accommodation option - camping.

Despite the cost of living pressures, demand is high across the sector as many people are going on trips they planned during the pandemic but couldn’t go on due to restrictions.

New findings given to ITV News by STR Global Hospitality Analytics show UK hotel prices are up more than 13% on last year.

Typically that’s added over £93 a week per room.

For an Airbnb stay in the UK it’s a similar story - typically £224 more per week than last year, according to AirDNA.

Many sources in the travel trade have told of three distinct trends in UK holidays this summer: late booking, downsizing accommodation and staying fewer nights.

One hotel owner in Harwich told us: "Budgets are stretched and it’s very last minute as well, so when we look ahead we don’t look as busy as we should be… and people are putting off saying, 'Come on let’s go!'"

Convenience as well as cost are driving changes.

Fears of Mediterranean heat waves and air traffic disruption have added to the rise in last minute UK bookings.

Kate Nichols of Hospitality UK said: "We’ve seen a significant change in customer behaviour.

"People are booking later and that is partly in response to travel disruption but also in response to weather."

In this summer, where every penny counts, the impact on UK getaways is becoming ever clearer.

At a time when money doesn’t go as far, neither do the holidaymakers.

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