We’re (not) all going on a summer holiday…

As I return to work from a pretty wet week in Cornwall, I discover that our latest research* shows that I’m not alone in tightening the holiday purse strings!

Only half of Brits plan to take a holiday at all this summer (down from two-thirds in 2008), with it being the main thing we plan to cut back on. In fact, twice as many of us plan to make savings on holidays than cut the amount we spend on food or even games/technology products! With two in five British adults having at least one of the latest generation games consoles (Wii, Xbox or PS3) in their household and almost half now owning a Smartphone, I guess the money has got to come from somewhere!

Many of our continental neighbours are saving money by holidaying in their own country: more than two thirds of Italians and French intend to holiday without stepping on foreign soil this summer. Yet, I’m in the minority in Great Britain, with less than a third of those planning a holiday between June and September considering braving the British summer!

In spite (or perhaps because) of the grim financial outlook facing British families, many feel that a bit of sunshine is worth paying for. The climate trumps the budget as the most important factor that affects the choice of holiday destination for Brits, with almost half of those intending to take a holiday this summer saying this will play an essential part in their holiday planning.

So what about the half of the population who aren’t going away this summer? Surely they must be taking a break of some sort?  We’ve seen a growing trend in ‘staycations’, where people holiday without even leaving home. Some are pretty elaborate affairs with companies such as Surburban Camping Co helping people create a nostalgic holiday atmosphere in their own back garden! It remains to be seen, however, whether ‘staycations’ will gain mass appeal, in the way that many people are choosing ‘enterstayment’ over going out (as evidenced by the success of offers such as Marks & Spencer’s ‘Dine-in-for-£10’ deal).

So perhaps next year I’ll try a ‘staycation’ or maybe I’ll visit sunnier climes but like most people I’m not prepared to sacrifice any mod cons in order to do it!

* Source: Ipsos – Europ Assistance Holiday Barometer 2012

Claire Emes, Head of Trends & Insight at Ipsos MORI. Follow me on Twitter @c_emes