Warm weather offers August Bank Holiday trade boost for industry

According to the marketing board’s Bank Holiday Trip Tracker, 4.5 million Brits are planning an overnight holiday trip in the UK this forthcoming weekend, almost one million more​ than last year.

Discount travel site Hotwire.com is also predicting that Monday 26 August will be the ‘most holidayed day’ for UK travellers following a strong month of bookings for August through the site and hotel and B&B owners in Colwyn Bay in Wales are among those who are reporting strong bookings for the weekend. 

However, while many bookings have already been made, hospitality businesses are being warned to expect a flurry of last-minute bookings or arrivals as the survey of 1,253 adults, revealed that 15 per cent of Brits (7.5 million) are still undecided about their plans for the weekend with the weather and the availability of funds the two main reasons for their indecision. 

Welcome boost​

Louise Stewart, VisitEngland’s director of strategy and development said the news that so many people were planning overnight breaks in England and the rest of the UK for the Bank Holiday weekend would come as a welcome boost to businesses which suffered during 'the harsh winter and slow spring'. 

"July’s heat wave saw an increase in late bookings and a real boost for the tourism industry after a harsh winter and slow spring," she said. "Those waiting on the weather should remember that England is a fantastic all-weather destination, with a wealth of world-class coastline, countryside and attractions, including many free galleries and museums across the country.

"With warm weather set to continue this weekend, it will certainly provide a secondary boost for many operators at the end of the school holidays, with the expectation being to see another spike in last-minute bookings for the Bank Holiday.”

Staycation​

News that the August Bank Holiday weekend will be spent by many on home turf continues this year's 'staycation' trend predicted by Travelodge in its fifth annual holiday report. The budget hotel chain found that 41 million Brits were planning to holiday-at-home this year with the better weather and the UK's increasingly good value for money as a holiday destination cited as the main reasons.

According to the report, two-thirds of Brits said they were considering staying on home soil​ for their holidays with London and Edinburgh the two most popular locations for breaks. 

VisitEngland's Bank Holiday Trip Tracker - key insights: ​

• Twelve per cent of British adults ‘definitely’ plan to take an overnight trip over the August bank holiday weekend, while a further 15 per cent ‘might or might not’. 
• Among those who ‘definitely’ or ‘might’ take a trip over the bank holiday weekend, 61 per cent will take a holiday or short break, while 35 per cent will visit friends & relatives.
• Residents of Greater London (33 per cent) are most likely to have an overnight trip with those in the North East (30 per cent) and the Midlands (29 per cent) following closely behind.
• Those with children in their household are more likely to have definite plans, with 20 per cent ‘definitely’ planning a trip compared to 10 per cent of people without children. Those with children under nine are most likely to be planning a trip (40 per cent).