Booking.com and Airbnb report rise in UK domestic holiday bookings
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 8
Booking.com and Airbnb report rise in UK domestic holiday bookings
10 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 8
Booking.com said May half-term UK holiday searches were up 20% year on year, while Airbnb reported a 15% rise in searches for UK stays over the May bank holidays.
The shift comes as the war in Iran disrupts Middle East travel, raises flight and package holiday prices to Europe, and increases fuel costs, prompting some Britons to swap overseas trips for UK breaks.
Examples included travellers cancelling Maldives plans via Dubai for Northumberland and operators in Cornwall citing stronger interest, though some holidaymakers said UK and overseas breaks can still cost about the same.
With new tourist taxes looming, will a UK staycation soon cost more than a holiday abroad?
Is the staycation surge a temporary fix, or a permanent shift in how Britons will holiday in the future?
Can Britain's beauty spots survive the staycation boom, or will overcrowding ruin them for good?