UK Consumer Atittudes towards Staycations vs Holidays Abroad 2023
"Overseas holidays are back on the cards for many Brits, with consumer sentiment set to return to similar levels seen prior to the pandemic.
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Products covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- The five-year outlook for the UK travel market
- Figure 1: Category outlook, 2023-27
- The market
- Improved confidence in overseas travel in 2022
- An increase in overseas holiday prices will lead to a quicker market value recovery
- Figure 2: Forecast value* of domestic holidays taken by British residents, at current prices, 2017-27
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- Figure 3: Forecast value* of overseas holidays taken by UK residents, at current prices, 2017-27
- Consumer confidence has been at a low level since August 2022
- Figure 4: The Financial Confidence Index, 2009-23
- EU entry/exit schemes on the horizon
- Companies and brands
- Haven launches £3 per person a night deal
- Byway launches ‘Swisstainable’ rail holidays
- All aboard! European governments launch national public transport discounts
- The consumer
- Three quarters of Brits headed away on holiday in 2022
- Figure 5: Holiday destinations visited in the last 12 months, 2023
- Overseas holidays back on the cards
- Figure 6: Destinations visited vs intentions to visit, 2023
- Opportunity to promote city events in the UK…
- …whereas summer beach holidays abroad remain a firm favourite
- Figure 7: Types of holidays in the next 12 months, by destination, 2023
- Opportunity for providers to focus on upgrades on overseas holidays
- Figure 8: Spending on main holiday in the next 12 months, by destination, 2023
- Main holidays abroad attract a longer length of stay
- Figure 9: Length of main holiday in the next 12 months, by destination, 2023
- Twice as many people agree travel agents are important when planning holidays
- Figure 10: Attitudes towards staycations vs holidays abroad, 2023
- UK deemed to be a family-friendly destination
- Short-haul associated with good cuisine and relaxing
- Figure 11: Consumer perceptions of staycations vs holidays abroad – Correspondence analysis, 2023
- The five-year outlook for the UK travel market
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Issues and Insights
- Domestic holidays face fiercer competition from overseas holidays
- Opportunity to promote different value offerings to those travelling overseas
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Market Size and Performance
- Improved confidence in overseas travel in 2022
- Figure 12: Volume and value* of domestic holidays taken by British residents, 2015-22
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- Figure 13: Volume and value* of overseas holidays taken by UK residents, 2015-22
- Improved confidence in overseas travel in 2022
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Market Forecast
- The five-year outlook for the UK travel market
- Figure 14: Category outlook, 2023-27
- Domestic market unlikely to benefit to the same extent as during the previous income squeeze
- An increase in overseas holiday prices will lead to a quicker market value recovery
- Figure 15: Forecast volume of domestic holidays taken by British residents, 2017-27*
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- Figure 16: Forecast value* of domestic holidays taken by British residents, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 17: Forecast volume of overseas holidays taken by UK residents, 2017-27
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- Figure 18: Forecast value* of overseas holidays taken by UK residents, at current prices, 2017-27
- Learnings from the last income squeeze
- Forecast methodology
- The five-year outlook for the UK travel market
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Market Drivers
- Consumer confidence has been at a low level since August 2022
- Figure 19: The Financial Confidence Index, 2009-23
- A weaker pound adds to the cost of international travel
- Figure 20: Pound versus euro and US Dollar, January 2016-March 2023
- Booking activity heats up in the first few months of 2023
- Figure 21: Expected time of booking main holiday in 2023
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- Figure 22: Participation and main holidaying intentions by destination, 2019-23
- EU entry/exit schemes on the horizon
- Income squeeze leads to an increase in strikes
- The journey to net zero
- Figure 23: UK mean temperature in °C, by quarter, 2013-22
- Consumer confidence has been at a low level since August 2022
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Launch Activity and Innovations
- Brands focusing on budget-friendly offerings
- Butlins added a record number of £49 Showtime breaks in 2023
- Haven launches £3 per person a night deal
- Hoseasons caters for all budgets
- Spotlight firmly on sustainable tourism and slow travel
- Byway launches ‘Swisstainable’ rail holidays
- Spanish Tourism Board launches “#SlowTravelSpain”
- All aboard! European governments launch national public transport discounts
- Scotland funds infrastructure projects to improve the visitor experience in rural areas
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Holiday Destinations – Visited
- Three quarters of Brits headed away on holiday in 2022
- Figure 24: Holiday destinations visited in the last 12 months, 2023
- Older consumers took a more cautious approach
- More affluent households remained resilient against rising prices
- Families with young children prioritised staycations
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- Figure 25: Holiday destinations visited in the last 12 months, by demographics, 2023
- Three quarters of Brits headed away on holiday in 2022
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Holiday Destinations – Future Intentions
- Overseas holidays back on the cards
- Figure 26: Destinations visited vs intentions to visit, 2023
- Younger travellers are eager for long-haul adventures
- Figure 27: Intentions to visit holiday destinations in the next 12 months, by age, 2023
- Financially-vulnerable consumers prioritise essential outgoings over holidays
- Overseas holidays back on the cards
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Holiday Types
- Opportunity to promote city events in the UK…
- …whereas summer beach holidays abroad remain a firm favourite
- Figure 28: Types of holidays in the next 12 months, by destination, 2023
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- Figure 29: Visit Britain’s homepage banner, March 2023
- Camping and caravan holidays prove to be a favourite amongst families with young children
- Figure 30: Consumers planning a camping/caravan park holiday, by parental status, 2023
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Holiday Spending
- Domestic holidays offer a more budget-friendly option
- Opportunity for providers to focus on upgrades on overseas holidays
- Figure 31: Spending on main holiday in the next 12 months, by destination, 2023
- Ageing population will boost the value of the overseas holiday market
- Figure 32: Spending on main overseas holiday in the next 12 months, by generation, 2023
- Mothers are more cost-conscious
- Figure 33: Spending on main domestic holiday in the next 12 months, by parental status, 2023
- Figure 34: Spending on main overseas holiday in the next 12 months, by parental status, 2023
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Length of Holiday
- Main holidays abroad attract a longer length of stay
- Figure 35: Length of main holiday in the next 12 months, by destination, 2023
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- Figure 36: Length of main holiday in the UK and abroad in the next 12 months, 2023
- Older generations more likely to stay abroad for longer
- Figure 37: Length of main holiday abroad in the next 12 months, by generation, 2023
- Figure 38: TikTok ‘24 hour Paris layover’, 2023
- Main holidays abroad attract a longer length of stay
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Attitudes towards Staycations vs Holidays Abroad
- Rising cost of living and Brexit increase the appeal of staycations
- Twice as many people agree travel agents are important when planning holidays
- Figure 39: Attitudes towards staycations vs holidays abroad, 2023
- Spotlight on sustainable travel intentions
- Figure 40: Attitudes towards the impact of sustainability concerns on the appeal of domestic and short-haul holidays, by age, 2023
- Local culture becoming a keystone of sustainable initiatives
- Figure 41: Attitudes towards the importance of connecting with locals, by age, 2023
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Perceptions of Staycations vs Holidays Abroad
- UK deemed to be a family-friendly destination
- Short-haul associated with good cuisine and relaxing
- Opportunity to promote the value associated with long-haul adventures
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- Figure 42: Consumer perceptions of staycations vs holidays abroad – Correspondence analysis, 2023
- Figure 43: Consumer perceptions of staycations vs holidays abroad, 2023
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- Correspondence analysis methodology
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Appendix – Forecast Methodology
- Volume forecast and prediction intervals for total holidays
- Figure 44: Lower-bound, central and upper-bound forecast for the total volume of holidays (domestic* and overseas) taken by UK residents, 2022-27
- Value forecast and prediction intervals for total holidays
- Figure 45: Lower-bound, central and upper-bound forecast for the total value* of holidays (domestic** and overseas) taken by UK residents, 2022-27
- Volume forecast and prediction intervals for domestic holidays
- Figure 46: Lower-bound, central and upper-bound forecast for the volume of domestic* holidays taken by British residents, 2022-27
- Value forecast and prediction intervals for domestic holidays
- Figure 47: Lower-bound, central and upper-bound forecast for the value of domestic* holidays taken by British residents, 2022-27
- Volume forecast and prediction intervals for overseas holidays
- Figure 48: Lower-bound, central and upper-bound forecast for the volume of overseas holidays taken by UK residents, 2022-27
- Value forecast and prediction intervals for overseas holidays
- Figure 49: Lower-bound, central and upper-bound forecast for the value of overseas holidays taken by UK residents, 2022-27
- Market drivers and assumptions
- Forecast methodology
- Volume forecast and prediction intervals for total holidays
Stay ahead of the curve in the staycation and overseas holiday market and future-proof your business with Mintel’s UK Consumers Attitudes to Staycations vs. Holidays Aboard Market Report 2023. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest trends and consumer behaviours affecting your industry, alongside data-driven recommendations.
Below, we’ve handpicked key insights from the full report.
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Topics Analysed in this Report
- How the rising cost of living will impact the recovery of the staycation market and overseas holiday market.
- Consumer interest in the staycation market and overseas holiday market.
- Spending on UK staycation holidays and holidays abroad.
- Perceptions of staycations vs holidays abroad.
Staycation and Overseas Holiday Market Outlook
Against the backdrop of the cost of living crisis and rising holiday prices, affordable domestic holiday options, such as camping and caravanning trips, are set to remain resilient. At the same time, there remain consumers who are eager to utilise their lockdown savings and make up for lost time by heading away on once-in-a-lifetime luxury holidays.
- UK staycation market size: The value of the domestic market has remained above pre-pandemic levels throughout 2022, recording £15.6 million.
- Overseas holiday market size: The volume of overseas holidays taken by UK residents is expected to further recover to 50.2 million trips in 2023 and £44.2 billion in expenditure.
UK Staycation Market Trends: What consumers want and why
Family-friendly destination
The UK is also closely associated with many positive attributes, with almost have of consumers deeming it to be family-friendly, relaxing and well as having a good range of transport options. Of these factors, it outperforms overseas destinations on family-friendliness and accessibility. Throughout the full report, Mintel’s analysis reveals ways in which brands can focus on and respond to these positive attributes, and continue to promote and convince consumers to book staycations.
- UK staycation market opportunity: 40% of UK consumers consider UK domestic holidays as family-friendly and relaxing.
Interest in good cuisine
While the UK can benefit from its strengths in terms of family friendliness and accessibility, short-haul destinations, particularly city breaks, are the second most desired holiday type for overseas holidaymakers. Mintel’s insights show that there are untapped opportunities to be had by promoting cuisine as an essential pull factor to European destinations, as well as promoting local gastronomic experiences, such as local homestays or cookery classes, as a way of connecting with locals.
- Overseas holiday market opportunity: 41% of UK consumers are planning a European holiday and 19% are planning a long-haul getaway.
To learn how to connect with your audience, purchase our full UK Consumer Attitudes to Staycations vs. Holidays Abroad Market Report 2023. Discover lucrative innovation opportunities to help your business grow during times of financial uncertainty.
Leading Travel Brands in the Staycation Market
Butlins, Haven, Byway, Hoseasons, VisitScotland.
Expert Insights from a Travel Industry Analyst
This report, written by Jennie Bryans, a leading analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the staycation and overseas holiday market and add expert context to the numbers.
Overseas holidays are back on the cards for many Brits, with consumer sentiment set to return to similar levels seen prior to the pandemic. Over half of Brits are planning on heading abroad for a holiday in 2023. As such, the UK will have to do its utmost to convince consumers to opt for staycations. Major city events such as the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, and King Charles III’s Coronation in London, will help to boost the domestic holiday market in 2023.”
Jennie Bryans
Travel & Leisure Analyst
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