Brits less likely to travel in their own country
One in 10 Brits don’t travel at all in their own country – making UK residents the least likely to take a staycation than other European counterparts.
In Italy, for example, less than 1% of natives don’t travel in their own country; 3% of French never travel in France, while 6% of Germans don’t travel in Germany.
The figures, according to Trainline, which carried out the research, show the ‘staycation might be dead’.
Instead, Brits preferred to join the majority of Europeans in heading to Spain, with almost a third of all age groups saying they visited the country in the past year.
All nationalities, with the exception of the Italians, chose Spain as the number one holiday destination for 2016.
Brits had the least holidays, averaging 3.1 holidays or short breaks in 2016, compared to 5.4 for the Italians, 3.8 for the Germans and 3.3 for the French.
French, Germans and Italians are far more interested than Brits in seeing nature and scenery, with almost half giving this as a reason for travelling, compared to just over a quarter of Brits (28%).
Instead, Brits prefer to spend time relaxing on the beach (39%) and sightseeing (36%).
Despite an economically challenging year, Europeans are still prioritising spending on travel, both at home and abroad.
The average spent across the four countries surveyed was £239.7 billion, with Brits spending £3,418 a head or £178 billion in total.
The Brits came in at number three with the top spot taken by the big spending Italians, who splurged a huge £5,974 per head or £308.4 billion in total.
They were followed by German holidaymakers, spending £4,261 per head or £300.3 billion in total, while the French, spent £3,239 per head or £171 billion in total.
The survey was conducted by Censuswide in November among a total of 8,258 Europeans (2,022 in France, 2,001 in Germany, 2,017 in Italy and 2,218 in the UK).
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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