Bookings for the Peak District are up 68% on summer 2019 levels and Somerset 61%, with bookings for third-placed East Anglia up 59%.
North Wales, Cumbria, Cornwall, Devon and North Yorkshire are the top-five most popular destinations for domestic summer holidays this year, according to Sykes, with the south-west losing its crown as the most in-demand region.
Data from Sykes’ 2021 staycation index suggests nearly two-thirds of Brits (62%) will enjoy their main summer holiday in the UK this year, up from 50% in 2019, spending an average of £940 per break – enough to boost the economy, Sykes claims, by around £30 billion.
More than half of Brits (55%) took a domestic break last year, despite the ever-changing Covid rules, while nearly half (46%) of those polled by Sykes said they were now more likely to consider a Uk domestic holiday than they were prior to the pandemic.
Graham Donoghue, chief executive of Sykes Holiday Cottages, said: “More Brits than ever are getting to experience everything the UK has to offer – whether that’s beach breaks along the south coast or exploring the picture-perfect Peak District.
“The pandemic will have a lasting impact on us all, and this is especially true for how people holiday. We expect the shift towards holidays at home to stick, and hope to continue to see staycation destinations outside of the usual honeypot locations grow in popularity in the years to come.”
Emerging UK travel trends include a significant increase in demand for unique accommodation, such as shepherds’ huts, while bookings for pet-friendly breaks are up 40%. More than one in five Brits (22%), meanwhile, said they were taking a UK break to work.
The top factors influencing accommodation choices included the provision of a garden or outdoor space and/or a hot tub, proximity to the beach, and quality of Wi-Fi.
