Will Coronavirus Increase Staycation Popularity in the UK?

The current outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus) is causing chaos across the globe as travel is restricted and people are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible. It is a difficult time for all of us at the moment, but it is also likely that it will have a major impact on how we travel in the future.

Several airlines are already warning that they may not survive without a government bailout and it seems as though coronavirus is already having an unprecedented impact on international travel. Plus, even when we emerge from a period of stricter social distancing, people are still likely to be cautious about travelling abroad as we can’t be sure whether the virus will still be present.

Staycations have already been increasing in popularity over the past few years due to factors such as Brexit and the climate crisis. However, coronavirus is set to boost this popularity even further. With that in mind, we believe that staycations will become a popular option for couples and families alike after the dust has settled on the virus outbreak. We look at a few reasons why:

 

Travel by car and avoid flying

It is uncertain what will happen to international flights but there will be an impact on this industry, which could potentially mean higher prices in the future. Plus, the restrictions on travelling between countries are likely to be stricter and in place for longer than any advice against travelling within the UK.

When you choose to go on a staycation, you and your partner or family can simply get into your car and drive to your destination. You are with the same people that you would have been with at home and you won’t come into contact with many others!

 

Familiarity with the health service

People are likely to be more cautious about travelling far away from home if they believe they could fall ill. On the other hand, in the UK we know that we have access to the National Health Service and we are familiar with how it works. This offers a sense of reassurance and comfort that cannot be found with travelling abroad.

 

Options in quiet and tranquil locations across the UK

One of the best things about the UK is the amount of beautiful places here, from remote countryside towns and villages to beautiful coastal destinations. These are the places that people will want to holiday in, rather than bustling cities!

If you choose to go for a staycation in the South West, for example, there are so many peaceful and remote locations where you can really escape and get away from it all.

 

You can opt for standalone accommodation

Another great thing about going on a staycation in the UK is the variety of accommodation options available to you. This is true of holidays abroad as well, but you will have to come into contact with a variety of people and many people prefer hotel accommodation when they travel to another country.

One of the best options for standalone accommodation, that is also in a peaceful and remote location, is a static caravan. Unfortunately, we will see some holiday parks closing briefly while the stricter coronavirus measures are in place but once these have lifted, they will make the perfect destination for an escape from the city.

In a static caravan, you are only residing with whoever you have travelled with and there are typically loads of great options for long walks in the fresh air and vast open spaces, especially if you choose the West Country!

If you’re looking for holiday inspiration for later in the year when this has all calmed down a bit, please do take a look at our luxury holiday homes in Devon and Somerset.