Staycations buoyed by airport chaos and cost-of-living crisis

More than three quarters of Brits (77%) are planning to holiday in the UK this year, according to a new survey.

Uncertainty around foreign travel – following headlines about flight cancellations and airport problems – were cited as the top reason, followed by cost-of-living pressures.

The proportion opting for a UK holiday is up from 75% in 2021, according to the poll of 2,000 people by holiday cottage rental agency Sykes.

The company said it has seen a 26% year-on-year increase in summer bookings over the last four weeks following the overseas travel disruption.

North Wales is the most popular region for summer bookings for the second year in a row, followed by Cornwall and the Lake District.

Its figures show the average Brit is spending £822 on their main UK break – down almost £120 on last year.

Furthermore, with pet ownership rising during the pandemic, a third (35%) of 2022 bookings to date include dogs, compared to 33% of bookings in 2021.

Sykes’ research shows a growing trend towards ‘work-cations’, thanks to greater flexible working, plus sustainability concerns, with a quarter of respondents (26%) revealing they’re more likely to consider a UK break now due to concerns for the environment.

Graham Donoghue, chief executive of Sykes Holiday Cottages, said: “We thought 2021 would be a hard year to surpass, but we’re expecting more Brits than ever to stay closer to home this year. As well as uncertainty, increased pressure on household budgets is leading to many turning to staycations as the better value option.”