01 September 2009

More taking multiple short trips

More than a third of people are favouring multiple short, ad hoc trips abroad spread throughout the year rather than a traditional two week summer holiday, according to a new report.

Around 83% of 1,000 holidaymakers polled intend taking between one and five short breaks this year as Britain becomes a nation of spontaneous mini breakers.

The findings from a new travel report from Visa Europe challenges the ‘staycation’ trend and demonstrates that holidaying abroad is still the preferred option.

Holiday rends are shifting in favour of shorter but more frequent breaks, the research found.

And more than one in five (21%) are actually planning to take more holidays than last year despite the recession.

The majority of mini breaks are booked at short notice over the internet, the report found.

A substantial 20% of the population book just one or two weeks before travelling, demonstrating the impulse nature of these purchases and the desire to find a late availability, cut price bargain.

Consequently, there is a willingness by holidaymakers to be flexible on variables such as dates of travel, airline, choice and star rating of hotel and even destination.

Just four per cent of short breaks are booked six to 12 months ahead of departure.

While the mini break is on the rise, the top priority for most British travellers is to head for the beach.

More than 60% of those polled admitted to booking beach breaks where the main priorities were to relax and sunbathe.

City breaks emerged as the second most appealing type of holiday, taken by 36% of the population, while adventure activities, camping and skiing also proved popular.

Spain is the favourite holiday destination together with the US, France and Greece.

Euan Ballantyne from Visa Europe said: "Britons take 65 million trips abroad every year, looking for great deals and taking advantage of independent travel options by booking over the internet.

"Yet our research shows that increasingly we are holidaying at the last minute, jetting off for spontaneous short breaks."

by Phil Davies

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...and who can blame them?

There are promotions galore at the moment, even on the bank holiday weekend you could have gone to France at half the cost of staying in the UK

By Gary Phillips, Tuesday, September 1, 2009