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?

Ifailed

I would guess that the bell-curve for the number of foreign holidays per year would pretty well match the bell-curve for family income

I think some people think going abroad equals spending thousands and staycationing equals cheap holidays

If you choose carefully then going abroad is definitely cheaper

When it is over £100+ per night to hire a caravan in this country, even if you added on flights it works out cheaper to go abroad.

If anything it is only the very rich that can afford to stay in this country to holiday.

As I pointed out to the person who asked about going to Portugal for less than £900
It can be done with money to spare

Most people I know go every year.
Many retired friends go several times.
We often go twice.
The only times I haven't have been abroad in the last 3 decades have been during pregnancies.
I even managed to get to Lanzarote in November last year.
I'm still hopeful for this year but have the south coast of England booked in the meantime.
I miss travelling.

In normal years, we go on two trips abroad---one to see our parents in the USA, and a second short city-break on either the Feb or May halfterm break. We haven't done either since 2019, however.

I usually take DS abroad every year. But there’s only us two and if we go anything other than AI, it’s not much of a holiday for me. (I just returned from Devon and ran round like a blue arsed fly all week.) My friends alternate UK/abroad every other year. My parents go on one cruise, one UK coach holiday per year.

When I was a child we went every 2-3 years, finances allowing. We’d do a Uk caravan or chalet holiday sometimes on the in between years but not always.

I’m happy to say I’m not a “traveller”. 2 weeks of being horizontal in the sun is my idea of heaven, and I’m not ashamed of it

Ditto. I have zero shame in spending my hard earned holiday chilling in the sun topping up my tan and just totally unwinding. We work hard and so we enjoy our relaxation.

We pay our money and we take our choices. A week or two of having nothing to do is my idea of absolute paradise.

A holiday in a caravan in there UK trapping round zoos, castles, theme parks, monuments etc is my idea of torture - I'd rather stay at home than have a UK holiday but each to their own. Be a boring world if we all liked the same

if you were able to read my posts @KevinTheGoat, you would see they were not stupid generalisations.
i take it you were too stupid yourself.

The last 7/8 years I’ve been away once every 18 months or so but that’s mainly thanks to my husbands family owning a holiday property so all we pay for is our flights- makes it same a trip to our favourite part of Wales which we try to do at least every year at some point (though often off season). Prior to that though, I didn’t even get on a plane until I was 19 and then not again until I was about 24. My family always went for UK breaks as dad had a fear of flying!

Last time i went abroad was 21 yrs ago. Just me and DH. I have zero interest in taking the kids on holiday in the sun. Much prefer the UK.
They’ve been to places with school which we couldn’t do so ...

I work hard to earn money to travel to lovely places. I don't care about clothes or having a nice car etc. But I do love travelling. We usually have about 8 foreign breaks a year including weekend breaks. But that is pretty normal amongst my friends, colleagues and family.

We do, most people I know go abroad at least once a year (usually more). I wouldn't say I feel entitled but I do feel very trapped right now not being able to get out of the UK, I just love the escapism of going abroad. We've done some UK breaks this last year and it just doesn't compare. Nothing else booked for the UK, all holiday money is being saved for when we can break free!!

I’ve hardly had any holidays in the UK, mainly camping when I was very young.
Myself and my DH had our first family holiday this year with the kids but it was funded by a charity due to disabilities and I’ve only been abroad a 3 times ( two of those were paid for by family so we could visit them).
I know a several people who have regular holidays abroad, they all have a much larger income than us so it’s makes sense and I have a couple of friends:family members who holiday a few times a year in the UK, we do feel like we are the only people in our social circle who can’t afford holidays but not much we can do about our finances yet.

@Bythemillpond

how do you get to only the very wealthy can afford to holiday in the UK?

There are two of us, me and a 16 year old. The last holiday we had abroad was in Rhodes in 2018. I didnt get much change out of £1800. We stayed in a decent, but by no means luxury hotel. The exchange rate was rubbish so an evening meal was costing me €50 minimum for the two of us. We had a few cheap pool days and paid for a few trips. The added cost of air con was expensive.
This year we have a flat on the Isle of Wight via air bnb for £575. If we were any closer to the sea we would be in it.

Do you really think Centreparcs, Haven etc etc are full of the very wealthy ? They may not be your type of holiday but many people love them.

Ted27

The £575 is just for your accommodation. When you start adding everything else it starts to get expensive.
Did you stay in an Airbnb when you went to Rhodes. Are you comparing like with like.
As I said you can do a week in Portugal for a family of 5 for under £900

I have looked at holidays in the U.K. and can’t afford them. I have a very wealthy friend who was being quoted £600 per night for 2 rooms in a hotel on the south coast.
Friend has decided not to go anywhere his year as it is too expensive.

For the type of place we would normally rent in Spain I think the cheapest was £745 per night in Devon/Cornwall area

We can afford Spain, even with flights but not Devon/Cornwall

Caravans to rent are over £100 per night.

I have lived for a few months at a time in a lot of England and Wales and can say that it all looks the same or very similar. I have no wish to pay an extortionate amount to stay in an area I once lived.

I'm my circle most people go for at least one holiday abroad a year and many go for multiple holidays. My mum went on about 6 a year before covid!

I love going abroad on holiday and pre Covid would manage to go a few times a year

I live in Scotland so escaping the weather is important to me!

All my friends go abroad each year.

I would say roughly 50:50 with the poorer people mostly never going abroad and the richer going at least once a year.

I don't get when people say it is cheaper to go abroad. Yes, you can find very bog standard accommodation abroad for cheap. We paid £900 for 5 of us to go to Spain. But then there is the price of travel insurance, getting to the airport and back. Any extra you spend at the airport. Transfers. Activities unless you pay extra for all inclusive with activities. Changing money over. That is without the price of passports.

Meanwhile we have been on breaks for £70 for 4 nights in the uk when not worrying about school holidays. Paid less than £200 for camping in the holidays and rented a house for 5 in wales in the summer holidays for not much over £300.

Yes, holidays in the uk can end up more than going abroad but not if you are comparing like for like.

All the chat on the news about people needing their holidays. Most people don't recognise their privilege.

Of course there are some people I know who just prefer uk holidays but most I know don't go for financial reasons.

I knw some people who have 2 or 3 foreign holidays a year. We probably go abroad once every 2 or 3 years depending on finances. I'm not one for sitting on a beach and would rather go somewhere in the Uk with nice walks/ lakes etc.

Yes. Usually one proper longer holiday and then we pop over to Spain 2/3 times for 4 days. Missing it a lot

Everyone I know does. It's cheaper than holidaying in the uk if you book at the right time

I usually go abroad for holidays several times a year, as does pretty much everyone I know.

Some of my friends don't go "on holiday" anywhere most years and just take the time of work and stay at home.

Some like to go on UK breaks only by choice and dislike going abroad.

I would say none of my friends my age have an regular annual holiday but a lot of them have young children.

We go on quite a lot of holidays! Probably about 5 a year, would say about 50/50 UK/abroad.

@Bythemillpond

our hotel, nice as at was, was a room, bathroom, basic kitchen and balcony. 20 minutes walk to the beach. Yes it did have a nice pool which I didnt use, though my son did.
the air bnb has two bedrooms, full kitchen, bathroom, balcony, use of surf boards etc. 30 seconds walk to the beach.

I think I will spend around £1000, ferry and train fares are approx £100. I’ve booked a couple of attractions, about £75, we have a returners ticket for the Portsmouth dockyards so thats a ‘free ‘ day out. We will eat out a couple of times. I don’t drink much so won’t be spending in pubs in the evening.
I can travel at civilised times and not end up in airports miles from home in the middle of the night.
There is no need to be paying 600 a night in a hotel when a Premier Inn can cost you £30. No its not luxury but there is nothing wrong with then either.

Similarly your holiday for 5 for £900 will also entail other costs, unless you are planning on not eating.
Yes you can get cheap holidays abroad but its riduculous to say you can’t get cheap holidays in the UK.
I’ve taken my son all over the UK staying in caravans, YHA, airbnbs, Premier Inns, using a railcard. And we’ve had a great time of it.

"I live in a low income area and most my friends have never been abroad, about 1/4th have but certainly not regularly some have only been once or twice in their life - no one from my circle has been long distance either just spain/portugal/france etc..."

Do they go on holiday at all?