Staycations are here to stay, travel data experts reveal

The analysis, carried out by Adido digital marketing agency, suggests the demand for UK holidays has increased permanently.

Online searches for staycations are now consistently above holidays abroad throughout the calendar year, whereas previously there was little disparity between the two.

To date in 2023, the most notable spikes have been in January, with search traffic for staycations almost doubling compared to 2019, and in April and May, with traffic up by over a third. Data was analysed across a variety of sectors, from mass market travel businesses to sole trader agents.

The most popular areas for would-be UK holidaymakers have also seen a marked change, with city breaks in particular gaining in popularity. Searches for holidays in London, Bristol or Brighton have all increased by 100% or more year-to-date.

Andy Headington, Adido CEO, said: “We’ve seen seismic changes to how and where we take our breaks across the past few years, and the popularity of the UK staycation is unquestionably one of the most significant. Positive feedback from holidaymakers who have opted for an escape closer to home is a major factor, as is an overall reduction in holiday budgets, as well as an increasing desire for travellers to reduce their carbon footprint.

“Staycations now represent a year-round opportunity for agent sales, and the trade deserves enormous credit for capitalising on this latent demand. With no sign of the gap closing between demand for holidays at home compared to overseas, there are ample opportunities to continue capitalising on this appeal.”