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?

The last foreign holiday had was when I was 15.

DH and I love holidays abroad and funnel a lot of disposable income into them. Between 2012 and 2019 we would visit NYC for 5-7 days plus one or two shorter European city breaks every year.

Most of my friends are the same and in my last few jobs, every colleague has travelled abroad at least once a year.

Our last holiday was in October 2019 and we're both desperate for it to be safe to travel again. We're staying in the UK this year but hoping to get away next year. I will finish my PhD in 2023 and we're already planning to go balls out to celebrate with my dream trip to Japan

Before kids and COVID we went abroad every year. Sometimes a couple of times a year. After kids it was about once every other year - then COVID hit.

I’m finding some people’s insistence that a holiday abroad at least once a year is essential hilarious: it’s really not essential!

I can understand that for some people going on holiday is a priority, and that’s great for them.

Since DS was born 5 years ago we’ve only been on holiday abroad once: to visit family in France. For me, the idea of hauling all the toddler stuff about was just too much: happy to go abroad once the Covid stuff is finally all over

Pre DS we went on holiday a few times a year: both in the UK and abroad: still wouldn’t say it was essen

Growing up we actually never had a family holiday abroad or in the UK.

I'm not surprised at those who think a foreign holiday is essential, but given the stats, it might be a minority who go abroad in any one pre-Covid year.

Time away from work is essential and indeed law, but that does not mean time abroad.

Yes, usually more than one.
Aswell as some in the UK too.
Holidays are a godsend for us, we love being away from home in a new environment, eating different food, soaking up the atmosphere and sunshine.
We go self catering, hire a villa and a car and have lazy mornings, maybe put some local delights on the table for lunch and go out for dinner. Or go out for lunch and dinner.
Always found self catering easier for us with the 3dc, hotels hold no appeal to me abroad (well, not on our budget, we’d need 4 rooms, all with balconies/private terraces, lots of staff ,) we couldn’t afford the standard I’d really like so we go self catering and please ourselves that way.
I don’t think I’d class a holiday abroad as an ‘essential’ as we’ve lived without one for long enough now, nothing terrible has happened etc, but we really look forward to them and massively enjoy the new experiences and family bonding time.

@Lemonwoe

I’m finding some people’s insistence that a holiday abroad at least once a year is essential hilarious: it’s really not essential!

I can understand that for some people going on holiday is a priority, and that’s great for them.

Since DS was born 5 years ago we’ve only been on holiday abroad once: to visit family in France. For me, the idea of hauling all the toddler stuff about was just too much: happy to go abroad once the Covid stuff is finally all over

Pre DS we went on holiday a few times a year: both in the UK and abroad: still wouldn’t say it was essen

So because it's not essential to you, it can't be for anyone else? No one is this narrow-minded, unable to think out the box or unimaginative.

@RestingStitchFace

Before kids and COVID we went abroad every year. Sometimes a couple of times a year. After kids it was about once every other year - then COVID hit.

We went abroad last year and will again this year.

When children were young we usually went to Spain and I definitely needed a lie on my lounger and watch them splash about in the pool kind of holiday, We go every year, more than once if we can, have done many cruises but also Italy , or USA but wherever it is it’s the only time I’m not shopping cleaning, running around after other people,so I really look forward to it, it’s been essential to me to keep going with all the responsibilities of life. Plus we live in Scotland when it can rain and be cold in July, with the coming winter setting in early in September so def some sunshine needed every year! This year will be like last year, and holiday in the UK but as soon as it opens up again we will be off!

@osbertthesyrianhamster I can appreciate why holidays are hugely important to some people, but that really doesn’t make them essential. Food, water, shelter: they’re essential. This is not a criticism of anyone for loving holidays and really missing them: there are plenty of things that I love and prioritise that are not essential too (meals out, day trips, cinema visits) but holidays of any sort are not essentials

@Lemonwoe I agree, I love holidays, I have hated this last year for how restricted we've been, we prioritise them, to me holidays are what make life special...but that still doesn't make them essential (to life at least, happiness maybe!!)

[quote Lemonwoe]@osbertthesyrianhamster I can appreciate why holidays are hugely important to some people, but that really doesn’t make them essential. Food, water, shelter: they’re essential. This is not a criticism of anyone for loving holidays and really missing them: there are plenty of things that I love and prioritise that are not essential too (meals out, day trips, cinema visits) but holidays of any sort are not essentials[/quote]
Not that ol' chestnut again! FFS, yes, we get it, not even bread and milk were essential last year. Meals out, day trips and cinema trips are just as completely unessential. Let's all just sit at home and watch the entire economy collapse because of a virus that 97% of people survive with no ill effects. To you holidays are not essential. To others, they are.

[quote name8793]@Lemonwoe I agree, I love holidays, I have hated this last year for how restricted we've been, we prioritise them, to me holidays are what make life special...but that still doesn't make them essential (to life at least, happiness maybe!!) [/quote]
Guess all those people whose livelihoods relied on them are just, well, fuck 'em, inessential . . .

@osbertthesyrianhamster look who's getting out the ol' chestnuts out now hey I'm on your side, but really if we're being pedantic no one can say a holiday is essential from the point of view of the tourist, no point pulling it apart. I just think there's more to life than the "essentials" I don't just live to survive, personally.

[quote name8793]@osbertthesyrianhamster look who's getting out the ol' chestnuts out now hey I'm on your side, but really if we're being pedantic no one can say a holiday is essential from the point of view of the tourist, no point pulling it apart. I just think there's more to life than the "essentials" I don't just live to survive, personally.[/quote]
That had to be the most classic Covid thread on here! The one with the OP who had a toddler and ran out of milk and bread at the start of lockdown. 'Bread and milk are not essential! Gruel and water is all anyone needs to survive!', 'When I were a bairn, we slept outside in a bell tent with wolves and it didn't do us any 'arm, people today just don't have any resilience . . . .', references to 'the war', curtain twitching, infectious park benches, the mythical 'law' that you could only stay out one hour/day for exercise, comparisons to Spain/Australia/Timbuktu . . .

Plus ca change . . .

I know a gazillion people will have posted this already but this is something I feel strongly about and so I want to have my say, darnit!

Going on holiday in the UK is often about the same price as flights or a ferry + accommodation in the Med or central Europe. Given that they are 90% guaranteed to have better weather and it's nice to do something different and experience a new country and culture, I would almost always choose a foreign holiday over a UK one.

@osbertthesyrianhamster. Sorry, but they really really are not essential. I’m not saying they don’t make life more pleasant: but nope, not essential.

I suppose bread and milk are also technically not essential if you have other food at home (and don’t have young kids who need milk) ....

We were going abroad annually up until our honeymoon in 2017, the next year we planned not to go anywhere as couldn't afford it after the honeymoon, and the year after I'd given birth to my little girl who was too poorly to take away anywhere, she finally saw her consultant in Feb 2020 and just as we were gearing up to go away covid hit. We did the 'responsible' thing last year and didn't go away and waited for it to blow over and booked for this year and were rewarded with another 2 lockdowns. We had greece booked for may which got moved to September and as I'm now pregnant again if we can manage to get there you can bet your bottom dollar we will do! Some may see it as selfish but quite frankly at this point I'm not sure I care!

No op it's not common at all however many people do DIY.
It's much cheaper.

Yy, abroad can be far cheaper for food etc better weather.. Cheaper and better acmmd.

[quote Lemonwoe]@osbertthesyrianhamster. Sorry, but they really really are not essential. I’m not saying they don’t make life more pleasant: but nope, not essential.[/quote]
Sorry, but to you. Fortunately, you do not decide what's essential for others and as long as they stick to the laws around testing and quarantine, they can have their holidays. It doesn't matter what you think is essential.

@osbertthesyrianhamster absolutely people should go on holiday if they can and they want to: I didn’t say that they shouldn’t (or even think that they shouldn’t). But holidays are not essential at all.

[quote Lemonwoe]@osbertthesyrianhamster absolutely people should go on holiday if they can and they want to: I didn’t say that they shouldn’t (or even think that they shouldn’t). But holidays are not essential at all.[/quote]
To you.

But carry on. I will, too. They're not essential to you, we get that. They are to other people.