The UK Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA) said that despite “positive” bookings since the UK holiday industry reopened on 4 July, the sector would need specific financial support from the government to see it through the autumn and winter.

The association represents UK property owners, management companies and other suppliers in the sector.

Merilee Karr, chair of STAA, said, “A combination of good weather and the British people’s desire to have a holiday despite the Covid-19 restrictions has meant that since reopening the short-term accommodation sector has enjoyed a really uplifting reopening with the biggest staycation year on record.”

Despite this boom in staycations during the school holidays, STAA said the sector could struggle in the next few months without foreign visitors and business travellers, as well as more potential localised lockdowns around the UK.

“As we approach the end of the school holidays, we can expect demand to soften and greater pressure exerted on businesses who weren’t able to generate revenues from mid-March through to early July – more than three months of lost income,” added Karr.

Karr called for a “commitment from the government that it will continue to provide sector specific support so that our industry can continue to contribute to the UK economy directly and indirectly”.