Britons are increasingly booking staycations in UK holiday hotspots such as the Lake District, Northumberland and Pembrokeshire, driven by fears of rising fuel prices and travel delays linked to the Iran War. Travel firms report a surge in bookings for the May bank holidays and summer breaks, with expectations of further last-minute spikes as holidaymakers avoid foreign trips affected by soaring jet fuel costs.
Airbnb has seen a 15 per cent uptick in searches for UK breaks compared to last year, with popular destinations including Northumberland, Pembrokeshire and the Derbyshire Dales. Holiday parks and cottage rental firms report bookings up by around 10 per cent in hotspots like the Lake District and coastal resorts including Whitby, North Yorkshire and Lyme Regis, Dorset.
Lisa Marçais, General Manager for Northern Europe and MEA at Airbnb, said: “As we enter the spring and summer season, we’re already seeing a clear uptick in demand for UK getaways, with searches for UK stays over the May Bank Holidays up more than 15 per cent compared to last year. Lesser-known destinations are particularly popular, with Brits swapping traditional hotspots for rural escapes.”
The staycation trend follows a bumper Easter weekend for UK resorts, with bookings up 18 per cent year-on-year. Haven holiday parks saw Easter bookings up 10 per cent, while Sykes Holiday Cottages reported an 18 per cent rise and expects similar demand into summer. James Shaw, Chief Commercial Officer at Sykes, said: “The increase in bookings this Easter reflects a long-term shift in how Brits are approaching their holiday.”
Barclays reported UK consumer spending on travel declined by 3.3 per cent in March, the first drop since 2021, as 70 per cent of consumers cited concerns about rising travel costs and 57 per cent worried about disruption. Dan Yates, founder of PitchUP, noted a rise in affordable camping and caravan holidays, with May Day bank holiday bookings up 35 per cent. He said: “We’re already seeing clear signs that holidaymakers are planning flexibly.”
Yorkshire-based Holiday at Home reported a 17 per cent rise in bookings, with a shift towards countryside retreats. Director Charlotte Denny said: “The combinations of rising costs, uncertainty around flights, fuel shortages and widely reported airport delays has made staycations a far more attractive alternative.” Ministers are developing contingency plans for potential jet fuel shortages this summer, while Airlines UK is asking the CAA to suspend compensation rules for cancellations two weeks before take-off.
