This market report provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis of the UK Short Break market, including the behaviours, preferences and habits of the UK consumer.
Key Issues Covered in this Report
- Consumer participation and interest in taking 1-3 night holidays.
- The impact of the cost of living crisis on the short break market.
- What holiday types show potential for growth.
- Spending intentions for domestic and overseas short breaks.
- Reasons for taking a short break.
- Consumer preferences and attitudes towards short breaks.
UK Short Break Market – Current Trends
The cost of living crisis led to many consumers prioritising main summer holidays and being forced to sacrifice overseas short breaks. In 2024, overseas short breaks are firmly back on the cards with the ‘revenge travel’ phenomenon fading away, and travellers returning to more normal booking patterns seen before the pandemic.
- UK short break market size: £10.9 billion is expected to be spent on short breaks in 2023.
UK Short Breaks – What’s Next?
Despite the return of overseas short breaks, domestic short breaks will continue to appeal, particularly for those with tighter budgets. Budget brands such as Butlin’s and Haven are doing well to promote initiatives such as low deposits, monthly payment plans, along with dining packages to help consumers manage costs whilst on holiday.
Travellers are increasingly interested in prioritising their health and wellbeing, and this has transcended into the short break market. Short breaks centred around physical activities hold broad appeal across various demographics, whether this be for those seeking an adrenaline thrill or for those looking to relax and unwind whilst away on a short break.
Purchase the full report for a complete analysis of the UK short break market, including market dynamics, consumer insights and marketing and innovation trends. Readers of this report may also be interested in Mintel’s UK Holiday Review Market Report.
Market Definition
Short breaks refer to overnight trips of one to three nights made for leisure purposes. Short breaks for the purpose of visiting friends and family, business or other purposes are excluded.
Data on the size of the domestic market is for Great Britain rather than the United Kingdom (i.e. Northern Ireland is not included), sourced from GBTS (Great Britain Tourism Survey). Data for the overseas market is for the United Kingdom, sourced from IPS (International Passenger Survey).
Expert Analysis from a Travel Industry Specialist
This report, written by Jennie Bryans, a leading travel and leisure analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the UK short break market and add expert context to the numbers.
Overseas short breaks are back on the cards for travellers, but the domestic market will continue to appeal to those on a budget.
Jennie Bryans
Senior Travel & Leisure Analyst
Collapse All
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- Key issues covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- Opportunities for the short break market
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Graph 1: average spending on overseas short breaks, 2018-23
- Graph 2: spending priorities if financial situation significantly improved, 2023
- Graph 3: booked a holiday in the last three months, 2022 vs 2023 vs 2024
- What consumers want and why
- Graph 4: intentions to take a short break, 2021 and 2023
- Graph 5: spending on short breaks, by destination, 2023
- Graph 6: short break behaviours, 2023
- Innovation and marketing
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Market Dynamics
- Market size – domestic short breaks
- Graph 7: volume of domestic short breaks taken by British residents, 2018-23
- Graph 8: value of domestic short breaks taken by British residents, 2018-23
- Graph 9: average spending on British short breaks, 2018-23
- Market size – overseas short breaks
- Graph 10: volume of overseas short breaks taken by UK residents, 2018-23
- Graph 11: value of overseas short breaks taken by UK residents, 2018-23
- Graph 12: average spending on overseas short breaks, 2018-23
- Market forecast – domestic short breaks
- Market forecast – overseas short breaks
- Market segmentation
- Macro-economic factors
- Graph 13: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-24
- Graph 14: the financial confidence index, 2016-24
- Graph 15: spending priorities if financial situation significantly improved, 2023
- Holiday bookings and booking intentions
- Graph 16: booked a holiday in the last three months, 2022 vs 2023 vs 2024
- Graph 17: plans to book a holiday in the next three months, 2022 vs 2023 vs 2024
- Social, environmental and legal factors
- Graph 18: annual average sterling exchange rate to euro, 2014-24
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What Consumers Want and Why
- Participation in short breaks
- Graph 19: short break participation, 2018, 2019 and 2023
- Graph 20: short break participation, by destination, 2018, 2019 and 2023
- Intentions to take short breaks
- Graph 21: intentions to take a short break, 2021 and 2023
- Graph 22: intentions to take a short break, by destinations, 2021 and 2023
- Types of short breaks in the UK
- Graph 23: types of short break planned in the UK, 2023
- Types of short breaks abroad
- Graph 24: types of short break planned abroad, 2023
- Spending on short breaks
- Graph 25: spending on short breaks, 2023
- Graph 26: spending on short breaks, by destination, 2023
- Motivations to take a short break
- Graph 27: motivations to take a short break in the next 12 months, 2023
- Short break behaviours
- Graph 28: short break behaviours, 2023
- Graph 29: “Longer holidays are a bigger priority for me than short breaks”, by household income, 2023
- Graph 30: ‘I’m more likely to consider travelling by train for a short break than a longer holiday’, by generation, 2023
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Innovation And Marketing Trends
- Launch activity and innovation
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Appendix
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Methodology
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