Introduction
This new report provides insight into the nation’s attitude towards holidays, after the huge disruption to the industry over the past few years.
Consumer confidence and aspirations are explored, and key questions are discussed, including:
Is Working From Holiday a new growing trend?
How important are sustainable holidays to consumers?
Is the Staycation in decline as confidence in travelling abroad grows?
We also reveal a list of the most desirable holiday locations abroad and the UK, and a bucket list of holiday experiences that modern Brits most want to enjoy.
We hope the contents of this report will be useful to those in the travel industry, the travel media and anyone with an interest in consumer lifestyle trends.
For more information, please contact info@persepectusglobal.com
Methodology
Perspectus Global surveyed 1500 UK based residents in June 2022 via online surveys.
Qualitative interviews (in person) were conducted and filmed by Tinderflint in June 2022 in Clapham, London.
Part One:
Working from holiday – a growing new trend
A huge new trend revealed by our report is the rise of people combining work and holidays – particularly among younger people.
The rise of working from home means that our lives have changed immeasurably. And now 55 percent of Brits who work remotely say they have considered taking an extended holiday in order to work from their holiday destination. The figure rises to 70 percent of people aged 18 to 29.
In addition to that, 54 percent of remote workers would consider going travelling but maintaining their remote working pattern entirely and the figure rises to 68 percent for the 18 to 29 year old cohort.
Overall, almost a third of Brits (31 percent) are planning to work from holiday at some point this year – and 45 percent of Gen Zs.
While the majority of those polled (52 percent) said the perfect length for a holiday was two weeks, and 59 percent said the days of a week-long vacation being the norm are over, as more people will take extended holidays and work during some of the time
The idea is certainly popular already and people are acting on it. As one respondent said: “Working from away? If you could do that, I think it’d be amazing. If you can do it, it’d be amazing. My sister and her family are in Portugal at the moment and they are working and loving it.”
The study also found that one in twenty (6 percent) would love to go away for a month, with some time spent working remotely.
This tallies with the rise of “digital nomads” – people who travel the world from place to place working wherever there is good internet.
In fact, an article from The Accountant online from April 2022 predicts they’ll be 1bn digital nomads by 2035.
And also there are cities renowned as hubs for these digital nomads – such as Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, which advertises itself as a haven for people looking to “work from paradise”.
This growing trend could see travel companies offering longer vacations to their customers – and also will have an impact on tech providers of accommodation companies to ensure that workers are fully connected while working remotely.
It also might lead to a decline in ‘off grid’ holidays – as consumers will need to be able to be online for at least some of their break.
“I’d deffo work while on holiday, I’d work to extend it. It’s 100 percent a natural step.”
“A real opportunity to get money and work. I’d love to do it. Why wouldn’t you do it?”
“I already often build my work and holidays into one so I can build a holiday around my work so I mix the two a lot.”
Part Two:
Sustainability and holidays
With awareness of sustainability a growing factor in many consumer spending choices, this is also now impacting their decisions about holidays.
The survey found that almost a fifth (18 percent) of British holidaymakers want to travel the world in the most sustainable way possible.
While a third (33 percent) think it is imperative that holiday companies offer more environmentally friendly holiday packages.
Over a quarter (26 percent) claim that sustainable holidays are the future, and 27 percent believe holiday companies have a duty to offset the carbon emissions of the flights they offer.
Overall, 18 percent said they always think about the environment when booking their holiday – insight that is worth being aware of within the sector.
One person said: “I do think about it a lot – and I don’t fly as much. If airlines could put something back, I’d fly more. I do think about it, yes. And it does stop me flying.”
And almost one in ten (9 percent) said they only go on sustainable holidays – a figure that rises to 10 percent for the 18-29 age group.
There is money out there for holiday companies who can react – Statista reports that in 2021 the ecotourism industry was worth 181bn dollars.
Interestingly, more than one in ten (12 percent ) of those polled claim that cruises are more appealing to them than in the past for environmental reasons.
So while Britons do not seem to be put off travelling abroad, the expansion of sustainable holiday options, green accreditation schemes and the articulation of eco credentials, are all important to meet their expectations of having environmentally friendly holiday options available.
Part Three:
Staycations vs. holidays abroad
We’ve seen a surge in Britons holidaying in the UK over the past few years as a consequence of the pandemic.
However, now that many travel restrictions related to Covid-19 have been lifted, will we see a resurgence in the foreign holiday?
Our survey found that more than a third (35 percent) of British holidaymakers think the days of staycations are over.
While almost three in ten (28 percent) said they no longer worried about holidaying abroad now that Covid was under control.
And although 30 percent of those polled are planning to holiday in the UK this year, 39 percent agreed that the British weather was so changeable that a staycation can often be ruined by bad weather.
A respondent pointed out: “You can’t rely on two weeks of 30C in the UK.”
While 27 percent complained that you always have to shell out a lot of money to holiday in the UK, and the same number (27 percent) think that it’s actually cheaper to holiday abroad than in this country.
A qualitative interview participant said: “Prices are very high in the UK, I think people are taking advantage of the Covid restrictions.”
The study also found that almost a quarter (24 percent) of those polled believe you learn more about yourself by travelling abroad.
Four in ten (39 percent) yearn to see the world, and a quarter (25 percent) of parents want their kids to experience other cultures and countries.
“I want my kids to experience different things. Only one of the three has been abroad so I really want to take the other two.”
“After Covid, I think people want to get away more.”
“I want to see different cultures and have different experiences. It’s not the same travelling in the UK.”
“I don’t feel like I’ve been on holiday unless I’ve been abroad.”
Part Four:
Holiday planning and preferences
With the rising cost of living, we wanted to find out how consumers are planning to pay for their future holidays.
We found that 67 percent of Britons have a holiday savings fund, putting a bit aside each month to cover the cost of their break.
Interestingly, 40 percent of those polled have always saved up for holidays, while 27 percent have only recently started doing this because of the rising cost of living.
“The cost of living will definitely have an impact,” said one respondent. “We save up for the year and then see what we’ve got left. So with less disposable income, we’ll see what happens.”
When it comes to booking the trip, unfortunately more than one in ten (11 percent) of respondents said that they find planning a holiday online confusing – potentially because of the wealth of options out there. Firms that provide a simple, one-stop-shop for holiday bookings will help serve this substantial minority.
To the holiday experience itself, the study found that a third (32 percent) of Brits said that when they go abroad they want everything all in, and that package holidays are still their preference.
However, 31 percent like to explore when they travel, and go off grid. So holiday companies that offer tailored experiences for their customers’ differing needs are essential – and we see the further tailoring of holidays as key for growth within the industry.
The study also found that for almost a fifth (18 percent) of those polled, going on a cruise has always been a fantasy of theirs, and something they’d like to do in the near future.
“I’d like to go on a cruise. I’m younger so I would go in a group. Then it doesn’t matter what the rest of the passengers are like.”
“Cruises are good. I like the idea of waking up in a different place every day. If you like it you can go back and do a longer holiday.”
Part Five:
Holiday bucketlist – the top 25 holiday experiences
The holiday bucketlist is back, now that travelling the world is once again possible. So we asked British holidaymakers what they’d most like to experience, and a top 25 list was the result.
1. Seeing the Northern Lights 37%
2. A resting stay in the Maldives 30%
3. Island hopping in Greece 27%
4. Visiting the Grand Canyon 26%
5. Experiencing the beach in Bora Bora 24%
6. Bathing in hot springs in Iceland 23%
7. Eating on the Amalfi coast of Italy 23%
8. An African safari 23%
9. Seeing the Pyramids in Egypt 22%
10. A cruise round the Caribbean or similar 21%
11. Walking the wild countryside of New Zealand 20%
12. Walking the coastal path of the UK 19%
13. Spotting animals in the Galapagos 16%
14. Visiting jungles in Thailand 15%
15. A trip through the rainforest in South America 14%
16. Seeing gorillas in Uganda 13%
17. Climbing the Eiffel Tower 13%
18. Climbing Machu Picchu 13%
19. Star spotting in Los Angeles 13%
20. Tea at the Taj Mahal 12%
21. Visiting Ayers Rock 12%
22. Seeing the statues of Easter Island 12%
23. Having a Singapore sling in Singapore 10%
24. Climbing Kilimanjaro or another mountain 9%
25. A clubbing trip to Ibiza 8%
Part Six:
Top ten most desirable international holiday destinations in 2022
We asked respondents which countries they’d most like to visit next, with the USA taking top spot, followed by Italy, Australia and Greece.
This shows there is no aversion to long haul flights – and that European destinations are just as popular as those outside the EU.
1. USA 31%
2. Italy 27%
3. Australia 24%
4. Greece 23%
5. New Zealand 22%
6. Canada 19%
7. Thailand 17%
8. Mexico 17%
9. Canary Islands 15%
10. France 12%
Part Seven:
Top twenty most desirable UK holiday destinations in 2022
We asked our respondents which UK holiday destination they’d like to visit next, to reveal a top twenty list, which in the great majority is made up of rural and/ or coastal locations.
In fact, only three cities appear on the top twenty list – London, Blackpool and Brighton – perhaps an indication that Brits want to feel like they’re somewhere remote and out of the ordinary, when they holiday in the UK.
1. The Lake District 41%
2. Cornwall Coast 38%
3. North Devon Coast 22%
4. The Scottish Highlands 22%
5. The Peak District 21%
6. The Cotswolds 21%
7. The Yorkshire Dales 19%
8. The Scottish Islands 19%
9. The Jurassic Coast 17%
10. Newquay 17%
11. Snowdonia 15%
12. London 14%
13. Blackpool 12%
14. Brighton 12%
15. The North Welsh coast 11%
16. Pembrokeshire 11%
17. Bournemouth 11%
18. North Norfolk 9%
19. Scarborough 8%
20. Suffolk coast 8%
Conclusion
Our 2022 Holiday Report gives an optimistic snapshot of the mood of UK consumers when it comes to holidays.
Working from holiday is set to become a norm, which is a boon for holiday companies, flight providers and accommodation owners.
Sustainability is key for many consumers – especially the younger generation – so building on existing green credentials will see an increase in satisfaction with holiday offerings.
And people want to travel overseas again – and long haul holidays are among the most desirable.
The staycation industry is still vibrant too however, with almost a third of British holidaymakers planning a UK break this year.
The aspirational holiday bucketlist is back, revealing that consumers want to experience the wonders of the world – and holiday companies that can enable the to do so in the most sustainable way possible will go far.
Finally, the cost of living crisis is causing more people to need to save up for holidays – but holidays are still on the cards for many Britons. The chance to travel is not something we want to give up, especially after the last few years.
About Perspectus Global
Perspectus Global is an independent, international research and insights agency.
We provide high quality consumer and B2B research – both quantitative and qualitative – helping brands ignite conversations, gain insights, become thought leaders and evaluate their success.
With more than 30 years’ experience overseeing and running research projects, our team consists of research experts, media consultants and PR professionals.
All surveys adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct and GDPR.
About Tinderflint
Tinderflint Spark is a full service content production studio, creating a wide variety of content for both brands and agencies across a wide range of sectors.
Agile and responsive we work with you to tailor the best creative solution, whatever your brief & budget.
Born from broadcast, with more than a decade of digital experience, we have had the pleasure to work with some fantastic people and amazing clients over the years, creating content for some of the world’s biggest brands.
Our aim is to produce content that makes a tangible difference and that ethos flows through everything we do whether film, photography or animation.