UK holiday-makers go domestic this summer break
UK campsite bookings are up 60 per cent this summer break as Brits opt for a domestic holiday.
While popular tourist destinations around the world are trying to entice foreign tourists to visit, families in the UK are opting to stay closer to home as a safer option in the midst of a pandemic.
In an attempt to draw in visitors, the Japanese government has plans to pay for half of tourists' travel expenses. The multi-billion pound scheme (costing around £10.3bn) would help kickstart Japan's tourist industry by luring back foreign visitors.
Some countries, however, have effectively blacklisted the entry of British citizens into their borders due to the UK's poor coronavirus record.
In a two-stage plan to reintroduce tourists into the country on June 9, Cyprus's Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos detailed how the country will not be allowing Brits to enter whereas direct flights from 19 countries will go ahead. The UK doesn't even make the second phase of foreign arrivals.
This has made staying within British shores for UK families an increasingly realistic option this summer holiday.
Jonathan Knight, founder and CEO of Cool Camping, said: "Booking revenues have increased 5-fold since Boris Johnson set out the phased approach to easing lockdown, compared to previous weeks, so there is clearly a pent-up demand to get away".
Many families are desperate to have a holiday without navigating packed airports full of strangers or quarantine restrictions.
Non-surprisingly, Cornwall and Devon are the most popular booking destinations amongst Brits. Scotland and Wales holiday bookings remain low mostly due to stricter lockdown measures still in place compared to England.
The news follows confirmation from the UK government that the hospitality industry could start to reopen from July 4.
With warnings that missing out on summer-month revenue could be potentially devastating for the camping industry, camping websites such as Cool Camping are offering coronavirus guarantees to encourage Brits to book, with them allowing holidays to be moved 18 months in advance due to the virus.
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