Keen to a book a holiday in the UK? Here’s everything you need to know about staycations after lockdown.
Thinking back to last autumn, when many of us might have been planning ahead to holidays in the summer of 2020, we could never have anticipated that a pandemic would change the travel industry so monumentally.
With each country battling coronavirus at its own rate, the possibility of taking a holiday abroad feels impossible right now, with no one able to give us a strong indication of when trips overseas will be safe.
But as lockdown restrictions continue to loosen and the hospitality industry aims to reopen at the beginning of July, booking a staycation could be on the cards for later in the summer. Which, after three months of staring at the same four walls, we’re more keen for than ever.
Airbnb have certainly noticed this trend, announcing that the 10 top wish-listed properties on their site for UK users are all rural staycations, most of which are located in far-removed spots in the countryside. This is good news for the UK travel industry, which after taking a huge financial dip, will hopefully see a resurgence as Britons start planning holidays within the country.
So, the big question is: when will we actually be about to book a UK holiday? How will these trips look and feel different to staycations we’ve been on before? And, what will the impact be on our favourite hotels and bed and breakfasts?
We’ve asked the experts to get a better picture of when that wanderlust wish list can become a reality. Below, you’ll find our burning travel questions answered and insight from some of the best travel experts and companies in the business.
When will we be able to book holidays in the UK again?
Government guidelines state that the current rule for people in England is that they may drive to outdoor spaces, however far away, but that they must practise social distancing at all times with anyone outside of their own household and they are forbidden from staying overnight anywhere that isn’t their primary household. So, in a nutshell, right now we are not allowed to stay in a hotel, bed and breakfast, second home or anywhere that isn’t our own day-to-day dwelling.
But, although we don’t have a definite date for the reopening of hotels, many establishments are banking on 4 July as a benchmark to start taking bookings again. If all goes well, this date will be the start of stage three and the opening of some hospitality businesses.
We reached out to Scottish boutique hotel The Fife Arms who informed Stylist.co.uk that they are preparing to open on 1 August, while an Airbnb spokesperson told us: “we have a temporary limit on bookings for UK stays that take place on or before 3 July 2020, listings that are visible on the platform will not be bookable for non-essential stays until 4 July.”
Essentially, although your favourite hotel may be looking at July 4 to start opening its doors, the best thing to do is call or email and ask them for a guideline date to work towards as all will be different.
How will UK holidays be different after coronavirus?
Nicky Kelvin, Head of Content at travel website The Points Guy UK, predicts that self-holiday rentals will be a huge part of our ‘new normal’ way of travelling.
“As we approach a ‘new normal’ in the weeks and months following the coronavirus pandemic, short-term rentals stand to be more popular than ever,” Kelvin explains.
“After all, travellers can book a private home with a kitchen and a pool, eliminating the need to have dinners out, stand in queues to check in or vie for a sliver of crowded beachfront.”
This means popularity for websites like Airbnb, Home Away and Canopy & Stars will be at an all time high, additionally because they focus on rural properties with a ‘wild living’ feel, which Airbnb has reported as a huge trend for post-lockdown stays.
In fact, Aribnb have reported that 70% of this year’s most wish-listed listings for UK users are lodges, cabins and glamping accommodation showing that we’re looking for holidays away from others, out in the wilderness.
What will travel trends for 2020/2021 be?
It’s all about travelling closer to home. Although flying is technically possible and airlines are planning to get more flights going as soon as possible, the reality is we won’t be flying to destinations like Bali anytime soon.
Kelvin comments on this, saying: “Flying is possible right now, albeit the choice of routes is severely diminished and the freedoms on travel are also limited. Both of these things will slowly improve in the coming months, so when you are ‘able’ to fly is going to depend significantly on where you want to go. Is there a flight that will take your desired destination, and will government and other restrictions at either end allow you to travel?
“We might see some countries locked down for much longer than others, so whilst you may be able to get to Berlin next month, maybe you won’t be able to get to Barbados this year.”
He also notes that travel trends could be swayed by the first countries that welcome tourists again and we might see a rush of travel to the first places that open up.
What will the economic impact of the pandemic be on our travelling habits?
The damage to the world’s economy could last years, says Kelvin, with the potential of significant unemployment, and a deep recession. This will result in a reduction in disposable income for millions of people which will have a direct effect on their ability to travel.
Kelvin says: “Holidays, or at least the level of extravagance, distance, or duration of breaks are one of the first things to get cut from budgets when times are tough. This could signal the popularity of staycations or shorter bargain European holidays in the coming years.
“Looking longer term, I think there is huge potential for rebound in travel for those wanting to seize the day after feeling the reality of being trapped. People may start to live for the now, and aim to realise their dreams. This could mean a boost for bucket list destinations like the Maldives, Petra, the Galapagos, Santorini, Angkor Wat, the Himalayas and Machu Picchu,” he continues.
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