With uncertainty over when and how we will exit lockdown, UK holidaymakers have had their usual plans thrown into disarray. At the time of writing, it is illegal for UK residents to go on holiday (at home or abroad). But, with vaccines bringing renewed hope for easing of restrictions this spring or summer, many are already thinking about 2021 staycations.
In the last week of January 2021, holidaycottages.co.uk saw bookings for the summer holidays up by 98% compared with last year. We’re all desperate to get away; what are the top 5 staycation trends of 2021?
Social distancing is likely to remain a priority this year and, as yet, we’re unsure when restaurants, pubs and cafes will be allowed to fully reopen. This means we will see many tourists swapping hotels and B&Bs for self-catering options. Here are five staycation ideas:
1 – Self-catering cottages/holiday homes
Renting a self-catering cottage or apartment provides a home-from-home holiday, giving you all the comforts you’re accustomed to, without a miniature UHT milk pot in sight! Thanks to Airbnb, the popularity of renting holiday homes has soared with a variety of properties to choose from – anything from a single room to a mansion. You can also rent unique places like windmills, pirate ships and hobbit houses for a once-in-a-lifetime break.
2 – Caravans
Whether you own or rent one, caravans have long been beloved by Brits! Holiday parks offer all sorts of facilities from night-time entertainment and swimming pools to golf courses and children’s play parks.
3 – Camping
Camping has always been a popular choice for families, offering low-cost breaks all over the UK. Armed with just a few essentials, you can pitch up your tent and embrace the great outdoors.
After a year of Zoom calls, remote work, and heavy reliance on technology, there’s real appeal to disconnecting our devices and reconnecting with nature. Camping is great for boosting wellbeing, confidence and problem-solving, as well as being a back-to-basics retreat from the demands of modern life.
4 – Glamping
For those too posh to pitch, there’s glamping! A rising trend over the last decade, glamping injects a little luxury into traditional camping with holidaymakers renting yurts, pods and cabins instead of putting up tents. Glamping is ideal for people who want to be close to nature, but also like to get a good night’s sleep whatever the weather.
5 – Luxury lodges
Luxury lodges are spacious and comfortable self-contained cabins with all the mod cons. Luxury lodges usually come complete with hot tubs, log burners, kitchens and bathrooms. They give you the best of both worlds – often located in woodland or countryside for picturesque views and exploring the wild, but equipped with everything you need to unwind and indulge.
Staycations are here to stay!
COVID-19 has implications for international travel which means the staycation trend will stick. It also brought climate change into sharper focus. Even post-pandemic, many will be looking to reduce air travel and minimise our carbon footprints. Uncertainty over when restrictions will be lifted makes booking/renting holiday homes tricky. Buying a caravan or luxury lodge – an investment for years to come – will be an attractive option for holiday-lovers.
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