Do "most" people really have an annual foreign holiday?

[PreservativeFree]

Reading on here how many people feel their annual getaway is essential, I'm surprised.

In my imeadiate circle, I'd say less than half go abroad every year. My parents haven't been abroad in years, although they do travel a lot in UK and could certainly afford it if they wanted to.

My closest friends occasionally visit family in France but generally don't like to be away from home.

My sister goes camping in France about once every 3 years, when they can afford it.

We're at a fairly comfortable stage in life and have had foreign holidays but quite often choose the Lakes instead.

My boss, on a six figure salary, has a camper van and usually stays in UK.

My young adult children are more likely to do an activity holiday with friends in UK than a lads beach and booze holiday.

I also know quite a few people who won't fly for environmental reasons.

Obviously, I do know people who go abroad too, but in my circle I don't think "most" people go abroad every year, even those who comfortably could if they wanted to.

I've tried to find some stats, but failed. Does anyone know?

Ime no not ‘most’.

About half/a third of people/families i know would go in any one year but I only know a handful who go every year.

You would think it was a god given right the amount some people are moaning about this and last year!
We go most years to visit family abroad but not always.

Obviously it varies. Most people I know would go abroad on holiday every year.

I know people who go abroad several times every year and I was amazed when covid started to hear the number of people cancelling their annual holiday and wondering how they'd get through the summer without it.

But then I've not been abroad in 6 years and I thought that was quite normal. An annual getaway has never been a thing for me (or DH).

For a lot of people it is cheaper to go abroad. I don't live in the UK but preCovid we went abroad every year - not flying though but either driving or going by train.

I should have included the, presumably, large group who rarely have a holiday at all.

In my social circle every one of us goes a minimum of three time a year. One friend has a villa in Spain so some of us go there.
Everyone my work team (24 people) go abroad. Some with each other.
My mum and dad go away every march and October.
My sister goes away in May and September.
It feels very unusual and strange for me not being away since March 2020. I was in Barcelona at the beginning of March as the crisis was escalating.
So to me 'most' people appear to go abroad.

@PreservativeFree

I should have included the, presumably, large group who rarely have a holiday at all.

Do you mean they have time off from work but don't go anywhere? Or literally no time off at all? Sounds miserable either way tbh.

A mix. We don't (we've been abroad 3 times in 11 years).

In the other hand, I have several friends who have - as a minimum - a family skiing holiday in Feb half term, a 'big' summer holiday for 2-3 weeks to places like Florida, Caribbean cruise, Australia etc and often a short haul long weekend city break (or two) in Europe - with or without the kids.

I haven't been abroad since 2019 and I hate it. I feel really cooped up.

My experience is similar to yours op. Some people go abroad but not the majority and not every year. My eldest dc is 17 and our kids have been abroad twice. We do have a lot of UK breaks though. I think it also helps that we live in a beautiful part of the country, I might feel differently if I lived elsewhere.

An annual getaway is essential (to a given value of essential obviously) to me, but it doesn’t have to be abroad. In the last 13 years we’ve had two “abroad” holidays, and one was Normandy which is barely abroad
It absolutely is not cheaper for us to holiday outside the UK, given we have teens, want at least two bedrooms, to be near the sea and have to holiday in school holiday time. I have looked extensively, and asked on here for help in finding that mythical much-cheaper-than-the-UK holiday, and while there were lots of suggestions none were in the school holidays or factored in paying for flights for two older children and two adults.

DH likes to ski, so we go most years, and then may or may not have a holiday abroad in the summer as well.

I go abroad quite a lot. I have family abroad and we also go on holidays abroad independently of my family.

This year has been very hard for us.

I’m interested in how this plays out demographically. A week in a random beachside apartment in Spain (for example) may be waaaay cheaper than the Lakes or Cornwall. Having a “naice” holiday (obviously your definition may vary from mine) in the UK is quite pricey.

We have family in two different countries abroad. Each (normal) year we go to Europe for a beach holiday for two weeks, a week to DH’s family, a week to my family, and two-ish weeks to another bit of Europe where friends live at Christmas/NY. I’d say that’s slightly more holiday than most friends but 1) we can afford it, 2) with family abroad there’s obviously an incentive there.

A holiday abroad does not have to be a beach and booze holiday though. In my circle and at work most do have at least one trip abroad.

One of my (retired) friend couples usually go 4 or 5 times a year.
My parents used to go once a year until their 70s, as did I and my friends in our 20s and 30s. But my last abroad trip was 2006.
In certain circles it is the norm, but in others, really not.

@Eyjafjallajokulldottir there must be loads of people who have a break from work but don't go away surely? When DC were small we often had a week or two of days out and activities locally rather than a holiday away. That wasn't miserable.

This year DH is too ill to go anywhere. That is miserable, but we can't be the only ones.

Most people I know live outside their countries of origin, and often travel for work — I commuted internationally for years — so it’s not a matter of international travel being a once a year thing. Once you have friends and/or family abroad, you naturally travel to see them. I find the idea of an annual two weeks in a Spanish resort/French campsite/cruise alien, personally.

In my experience yes, pretty much everyone I know - friends, family, work colleagues go abroad at least once a year and most of them will have 2-3 holidays/city breaks. Even my 80 year old parents will usually have minimum 3 foreign holidays.

I was surprised by all the threads about missing holidays etc. Although as someone with family abroad I get that aspect.

Since having dc I much prefer holidaying in the UK & friends are similar. We could afford abroad but can't really be bothered.

I only know a few families who don’t. Most of my friends have a summer holiday abroad.

We love travel but not the laying on the beach type:
2019 - Canada, BC and Alberta Rockies drive
2018 - France, Brittany
2017 - USA, New York, Chicago, Wisconsin lakes
2016 - Italy, lake Garda
2015 - France, Loire valley
2014 - Jersey
2013 - Canada, Alberta

2020 was supposed to be Florida. I have family there too.

My mum does go abroad every yr for about 3 months (holiday home). She still went last yr & is desperate again this yr.

I go annually.

I am a single parent with one daughter who is 10. We go with my Mum who is single and we split the cost between us.

I always book the last week of July and the first week of August as it saves me childcare costs through the summer and I get that time with my daughter before she is shipped off to holiday club 7am until 6pm for the following 4 weeks.

As a child I was very fortunate and I had a holiday abroad annually. I try to do the same for my daughter.

I would say most of my friends go annually. The UK is very expensive, holidays cost a fortune here.

Normally we go abroad twice a year, once with my parents and once by ourselves. UK holidays are weekend breaks only.
We prefer the guaranteed sunshine and can afford it.
I’ve given up on abroad for this summer now. We’re going to Devon and Norfolk. If it rains I will be very sad.
If we can get a week of sun at October half term we will!