UK staycation is here to stay

New research from Square has revealed that staycations are a trend set to continue to the end of 2022 and beyond.

Nearly half (45%) of UK holidaymakers plan to continue staycations until at least 2022 or until the pandemic is over, and 1 in 10 (10%) intend to go on holiday in the UK for at least the next 3 years. In contrast, only 1 in 20 (5%) plan to holiday outside of Europe in the near future. The findings also show that 6 in 10 staycationers (61%) are planning to rebook a UK holiday destination they’ve visited before.

Who is driving the staycation boom?

• Gen-Z is leading the boom and predicted to set aside the most spending money for their UK holidays at GBP458.96
• Millennials follow next, aged 25-34 and looking to splash out GBP409.54
• The above are in comparison to the average set aside spend of GBP377.03

 A rising number of holidaymakers expect to pay by card at their destination, with nearly 9 in 10 (88%) staycationers preferring to pay by card, and 45% saying they always prefer to. Respondents said convenience (56%) and not needing to find a cash point or queue for cash (52%) as advantages of paying by card, ultimately offering more time for relaxation.

The survey found that the top three holiday destinations in the UK were Cornwall (24%), The Lake District (21%) and Scotland (16%) as, with Edinburgh the most popular area to visit in Scotland (10%).

Top 10 UK holiday hotspots:

1. Cornwall (24%)
2. Lake District (21%)
3. Scotland (16%) – with Edinburgh as the top Scotland hotspot (10%)
4. Devon (16%)
5. North Wales (14%)
6. Yorkshire (13%)
7. South Wales (11%)
8. Blackpool (10%)
9. The Cotswolds (10%)
10. Brighton (8%)

Top factors determining UK holiday destination choice:

1. Location (68%)
2. Accommodation (52%)
3. Price (49%)
4. Value for money (46%)
5. Weather (34%)
6. Activities (28%)
7. Flexible cancellation policies for travel/accommodation (26%)
8. A unique experience (20%)