The assumption that ongoing aviation chaos is causing many holidaymakers to choose the UK is flawed ✈️ Exclusive from SophieLamTravel
Haigh adds that businesses are particularly concerned about the winter months ahead, after many visitors have been prepared to splash out a bit after two dysfunctional summers., cautions that his county’s visitor attraction figures are between 25 and 30 per cent down, year on year. Against a backdrop of rising operating costs, Somerset is planning to see a contraction of about 20 per cent in the visitor economy, with losses of nearly £300m.
VisitBritain research backs this up, finding that the top perceived barriers to taking overnight UK trips in the next six months are the rising cost of living and the cost of fuel. More than a third of adults will choose cheaper accommodation, look for more free things to do and spend less on eating out.
What’s perhaps more surprising is that Cornwall is experiencing “an awful lot of last-minute cancellations” says Bell, as late as 24 hours. “Sometimes that’s because they have Covid but other times it’s because they’ve found somewhere cheaper or decided that they can’t afford it.”