British Holiday Confidence Returns - UK Holidays Most Popular

CHESTER, England, May 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Holiday confidence is returning, with over half the UK population (52 per cent) definitely going away this year, according to research by www.travelsupermarket.com. The study also indicated that a quarter of Brits (25 per cent) were more likely to go on holiday in the next 12 months than they were six months ago.

The UK has once again become the most popular holiday choice for Brits, with one in five (22 per cent) favouring a holiday at home.

Value for money still appears to be king with a whopping 79 per cent stating that price is one of the most important factors when it comes to booking a holiday, overtaking other aspects such as weather and facilities. This is in line with the findings from the last Holiday Confidence Barometer in January 2011, in which 78 per cent highlighted price.  

The research, the fifth bi-annual poll of 2,000 adults commissioned by travelsupermarket.com, also investigated holiday budgets. The importance of value can be seen in the amount Brits said they are prepared to spend on their main holiday. At the beginning of 2010 the average Brit planned to spend GBP1,014 per person on their main family holiday. This fell to GBP829 in January 2011 and has now risen slightly to GBP837. Londoners plan to spend the most (GBP988) with those from the West Midlands booking their holidays on a tighter budget (GBP746).

The study also included a Holiday Spending Money Index, which found that weekly spending levels (not including flights and accommodation) are down three per cent on January 2011 – with the average Brit budgeting GBP288 per person per week.

Regionally, those living in London are prepared to take the most spending money on holiday (GBP345 per person per week) beating Northern Ireland which has held the top spot for a year. The amount the Northern Irish are prepared to spend whilst abroad has fallen by a huge GBP135 since July 2010 – from GBP420 to just GBP285 this year.

Research commissioned by www.travelsupermarket.com

When it comes to the sexes, men are once again more likely to splash the cash. The average UK male plans to spend GBP892 on their holiday and is budgeting GBP318 in spending money per week. In contrast, women are planning to spend GBP770 on their main holiday and taking GBP254 spending money per week.

Worryingly, the number of people who ensure their holiday is ATOL protected has fallen yet again from 21 per cent a year ago (and 18 per cent in January 2011) to just 14 per cent. And there is a continued dependence on credit cards – eight per cent will be relying on their plastic for their day to day holiday expenditure compared to seven per cent at the start of the year and six per cent last year.

Bob Atkinson, travel expert from travelsupermarket.com, said: "It seems that the annual holiday is one thing that Brits just won't give up – to see that half the population will definitely be going on a break is great news for the UK travel industry.  At a time when many are cutting back on other day to day expenditure, spending on a holiday is a major cost to UK households and people are determined to get away where they can.

"Although the amount of money people are prepared to spend falls below levels in 2010, over half of those we asked are now shopping around for the best deals – so perhaps Brits are just being more careful and seeking out great deals and value for money, with all inclusive holidays or cheap self catering offers helping Brits to get away."

Bob Atkinson's tops money saving tips on how to make your holiday budget go further:

• Set yourself a maximum budget – considering both your spending money and the cost of booking travel and accommodation, try and stick to it and don't stretch yourself too far financially.
• Don't forget to budget for all those extras – airport parking, transfers, car hire and baggage costs, the earlier you book, the more you save.
• Do lots of online research – on your favourite holiday companies, airlines and travel sites and compare offers on a price comparison website such as travelsupermarket.com as you may be able to find companies that you have not heard of with an ever better deal.
• Focus on the final price for your holiday – when comparing offers and deals, how much will you pay today and how much will the deposit be? Don't just focus on the discount     message and any freebies. Is it within your budget guidelines?
• Don't rely on the 'freebies' – if considering a package holiday with free child places, ensure you get a price with both a free place and also a second quote with a child price. Sometimes 'free' places can cost more due to extra charges tour operators make for under occupancy.
• Beware of low deposit deals – you often have to pay the remainder of the full deposit within only a few weeks, so it is only an introductory offer from many companies as opposed to a genuine long term saving.
• Think about your board basis – all-inclusive allows you to set your budget here in the UK and keep a check on extras when away. Self-catering will allow you to make and prepare your own food and avoid eating out – great when you have small children to cater for. Or choose hotels on B&B, half board or full board.
• Think about where you plan to go – what is the cost of living like? Will you be able to get away with a smaller amount of spending money or will you need to dig deep for cash in more expensive destinations?
• Consider where you stay – it may be cheaper outside of the city or resort, however you may end up paying more for taxis and travelling around to and from the beach or attractions. Book somewhere that has good access to public transport. If hiring a car, check you have somewhere to park close to your accommodation that won't cost a fortune.
• Book before it goes – when you get a price and a deal you are happy with, get it. Prices for holidays, flights and hotels can change quickly so don't miss out on a cracking deal. It is unlikely that a cheaper deal will come along once you have done a full check of availability.
• Check your deal has ATOL cover – if it doesn't then ensure you have either full protection insurance from your holiday company that covers all elements of the booking. Or take out travel insurance immediately with 'End Supplier Failure' in case anything goes wrong with the company, airline or hotel you are booked with. Pay by credit card or Visa debit card where possible for additional protection.
• Use a price comparison site to compare prices on package holidays – travelsupermarket.com has a revamped search that allows you to leave the destination open to get an idea of prices across many destinations; once you have a destination you can use the date tab at the top to see if it is cheaper travelling up to three days either side of your requested date; and on the results page you can use filters to check out, for example, if a 4* hotel is cheaper than a 3*, or narrow the results down to one of your favourite brands.

* All figures, unless otherwise stated, taken from research carried out on behalf of travelsupermarket.com by Opinium from 28 April 2011 – 2 May 2011, among 2,022 British adults (18+).

Travel comparison site travelsupermarket.com is conducting a six monthly poll of over 2000 people called the Consumer Travel Barometer, the first of which was in July 2009.  It's an ongoing tracker of Brits' views on holidays and travel.  The barometer is a snapshot of British attitudes to holidays – to go away or not to go away, what type of holiday, where to go and how much to spend.

For further press information contact:
Lisa Sharland, Chris Bull
3 Monkeys Communications
[email protected]
020 7009 3100

Emma Morris
travelsupermarket.com
[email protected]
01244 220 671

About travelsupermarket.com

www.travelsupermarket.com is an online comparison service where customers can find the best value travel options for their needs and purchase over the internet. The website compares flights, car hire, hotels, cruise, package holidays plus dynamic packaging by searching hundreds of travel websites. The information supplied is unbiased and is designed to save the customer time and money.

The site thrives on offering its users accurate real time availability by taking information directly from suppliers such as Opodo, British Airways, Thomas Cook, Radisson, Sol Melia, easyCar, Auto-Europe and many more, ensuring users are presented the best possible price at all times. It searches:

• Over 650 scheduled, low cost and charter airlines from 39 individual suppliers
• Over 200,000 individual hotels from over 42 individual hotel suppliers
• Over 200 individual car hire providers from over 21 suppliers
• 1,000s of individual package holidays from over 34 suppliers

Additionally, travelsupermarket.com also compares prices on travel insurance and on airport car parking.

travelsupermarket.com is part of the Moneysupermarket.com Group PLC.

www.moneysupermarket.com is a website where consumers can compare personal finance products, save money and apply online. The website has several service areas including personal loans, credit cards, mortgages, current accounts, savings accounts, motor insurance, home insurance, travel insurance, health insurance, mobile phones, broadband and shopping.

travelsupermarket.com won 'Best Meta Search/Price Comparison Website' and 'Online Travel Brand of the Year' at the Travolution Awards 2009.

SOURCE travelsupermarket.com