Yahoo Finance Staycation boom sends domestic holiday costs soaring by 40%
The price of a self-catered and private holiday accommodation in the UK has gone up by an average 40% when compared with August 2019, new data revealed.
It now costs about £300 ($412) more per week to rent self-catered accommodation than it did two years ago, said consumer group Which?.
This comes as more than 20 million Britons planned to holiday in the UK this year, according to market research company Opinium, amid continuing international travel restrictions.
The prices in Brighton have seen the sharpest rise, from £151 in 2019 to £285 now, an increase of almost 90%. The most expensive town from self-catered accommodation is Lyme Regis, where the cost is £360,
St Helier, Jersey (£254), Sidmouth (£280) and Balloch (£158) also made it to the list of top five expensive destinations.
“Holidaying at home has always been expensive, but the situation has become far worse during the pandemic and it’s no wonder many people have felt priced out of a holiday this year,” said Rory Boland, Which? travel editor.
“The reasons for these higher prices are complex, but it is hard to avoid the conclusion that some unscrupulous accommodation providers are charging over the odds.”
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But he said there are ways to save.
For instance, Britons can book a few miles down the road from the most popular destinations or travelling out of peak holiday season to significantly reduce the cost of their trip.
Savings can also be made by avoiding booking sites and instead making a booking directly with the hotel or accommodation owner.
When it comes to private holiday accommodation, Which? found that holidays to some British destinations currently cost hundreds of pounds more than trips to equivalent European destinations, even when airfare is factored in.
For instance, the cost of seven nights this August in a top rated hotel in Lake Garda, Italy cost about £630, nearly a quarter of the price of a comparable holiday in the Lake District (£2,381).
The only holiday Which? found for August that worked out cheaper in the UK was a beach break in Tenby, Wales, compared to Estepona, on the Costa del Sol in Spain – but only by £10.
Even though hotel prices in the UK dropped by an average of 13% last year due to the pandemic, prices in many other European countries dropped by as much, or more.
Watch: Should I book a holiday in 2021?
