AIBU to encourage people to holiday in the UK this year?

[BaliPebbles]

Growing up I did a few holidays in the Wales but as I got older we did the traditional Brit holiday of going to Spain (or Greece) for 2 weeks, lying on a deckchair everyday except one when we went out somewhere for a bit of culture (but became anxious of missing out on one tanning day), eating loads of creme caramel and then flying home and starting to peel before you left the arrivals lounge. As money improved, those hotels just got better and the destinations a bit more far away e.g. lying on a beach in Cancun.

I then lived overseas for nearly 20 years and went on some amazing holidays, still thinking that holidaying in the UK is just for the unenlightened.

Then we moved back to the UK with primary age children and we ventured to do a UK holiday. We were actually astonished at how great a time we had and how much happier the DC were and how much less stress it was. Mine don't actually want to be dragged through an airport and spend a whole day travelling, they don't want to go too far and away for too long. They like being in the car and stopping off. They like British things. Our UK holidays now consist of great food, interesting and off the beaten track excursions, somewhere nice to stay, history, culture and some activities.

Anyway, the reason why I am bleating on about this is because I just received a survey about using airlines once the lockdown is over. I filled it in and I realised that I don't actually want to go on a plane now for a long time. I don't want to add to climate change, I don't want to end up somewhere where coronavirus ramps up during my holiday, I do not want to be in a 5 hour queue either end of my plane journey and I don't want to listen to people coughing round me on a plane.

So, AIBU to remind people that we need to boost our own economy quite urgently and that actually, if you sit down and spend a couple of hours on the internet, you can make yourself a brilliant itinerary for a holiday in the UK because actually holidaying in Britain is great!

I would be very careful about not doing some sort of “package” holiday now due to possible airline failures. Package is defined by law as to what it is and it’s various elements but doesn’t necessarily include a flight and a hotel. I would always pay with a credit card too!

Agree be very cautious about booking anything abroad. If we are about to have a fourteen day quarantine for arrivals, other countries may follow suit if not already so you'll end up indoors at the other end and then quarantined again when you get back to the UK!

I have never taken my family abroad for a holiday. Dont see the attraction.

Bargainhuntbore Of course you don’t; you’ve never done it 🤦‍♀️ 😂

Because i dont see the attraction. Its that simple.

Because i dont see the attraction. Its that simple.
you don't have to. You have the perfect attitude for someone who doesn't go anywhere, it's your right.

We do do places . In the UK. Living nearly 3 hours from nearest airport. Waiting 2-3 hours for a flight. Then flying for 3-4 hours. Not our cup of tea. Much cheaper to stay in the uk. Hence its no attraction to us.

You're not unreasonable but who are you going to encourage and will they listen? I've always enjoyed holidays in the UK and no doubt will again but at the moment I can't see anybody going on holiday anywhere for quite a while.

Bargainhuntbore You can’t know it’s not your cup of tea unless you’ve actually done it.

Holidays abroad are often much cheaper than UK ones, and you can broaden your horizons and give your family some culture at the same time.

Fair enough if you prefer UK holidays, but if you’ve never actually taken your children abroad you’re seriously holding them back from the world. They’re missing out on so much.

Dunno if I will feel comfortable spending any money on a hol this year.
If I'm still on house arrest type conditions, could I enjoy myself? Rather not convinced of that. I can't imagine life feeling normal until most the vulnerable population has been vaccinated & govt stops imposing all these rules... so when will that be, late 2021? Talk to me about holidays then.

Agree be very cautious about booking anything abroad. If we are about to have a fourteen day quarantine for arrivals, other countries may follow suit if not already so you'll end up indoors at the other end and then quarantined again when you get back to the UK!

Well, yes. Even IF (a big IF) other countries don't quarantine you on arrival, you will be quarantined back here on return for 14 days (and I have NO doubt that you will be billed for it - why wouldn't you be billed, your choice to go!).

I think you can be quarantined in your own home, but if you can't wfh or get food delivered that would still be an issue.

How on earth would you know the attraction if you had never been? I cannot see the attraction of holidaying in the UK. Really expensive, tacky and you cannot guarantee the weather AT ALL! I have been And never again. I don’t count them as proper holidays tbh.

If you have 2 kids say under the age of 10 I couldn’t see anything worse than booking a hotel/cottage and it pissing down half of the time. You might as well stay at home and not use your precious annual leave.

There might well be some pent up demand what with all the furloughing going on, no commuting costs, no pubs and cafes open, no theatres etc.

Not for everyone but for some.

@heartsonacake where in my post does it say my kids haven’t been abroad?

Yeah, it doesn’t. They have been abroad. I haven’t taken them. Who are you to say they haven’t experienced culture? The UK is full of it.

An all inclusive in Tenerife has none. Ive been there.

I much prefer a flight and coach transfer to a hotel than hours of driving. I'm a single parent so there's noone to share the driving with and it's tedious

Why is “all inclusive” always thrown in ?
Is that the only holiday that brits are meant to go on ?
I’ve been abroad once or twice a year for years and never done an all inclusive holiday

Who are you to say they haven’t experienced culture? The UK is full of it.

Bargainhuntbore Yes, the UK has culture. Nobody is disputing that. But how cultured do you think your kids are gonna be if they only ever experience one culture that happens to be their own?

An all inclusive in Tenerife has none. Ive been there.

Right, you are aware you can choose your own holidays, yeah? So you can take your kids somewhere they can experience new cultures and have new varied adventures.

“Abroad” doesn’t just mean “all inclusive pool holiday”. A holiday is what you make it.

Holidays are a long way off at the moment.
However, I did not go abroad as a child. We could just not afford it.
Then when married with young children, it was also too expensive, and just too much hassle to take them away.
I have now reached a point when I can go away, as we have done so for the last few years, and certainly intend to do so again, at some point in the future. It may not be this year, or next year, but some of us, haven't spent all our lives going away, and I would like the chance to see just a few other places before getting too old.

An all inclusive in Tenerife has none. Ive been there

so you've done "abroad" and you can make definitive judgements about it. That's the end of the discussion, isn't it.

Hahaha at the idea of what most Brits do on their foreign holidays is culture.

Of course there are good cultural opportunities abroad (and at home) but they're not to be found on the holidays that are "cheaper than staying at home".

Hahaha at the idea of what most Brits do on their foreign holidays is culture.

DateandTime I don’t think anyone has said that

Of course there are good cultural opportunities abroad (and at home) but they're not to be found on the holidays that are "cheaper than staying at home".

Of course they are. Just because you don’t know how to shop around doesn’t mean everyone else doesn’t either.

Expensive doesn’t equal more culture.

"But how cultured do you think your kids are gonna be if they only ever experience one culture that happens to be their own?"

If you think the UK only has one culture that is the same as yours you really do need to see more of it.

@DateandTime

I’d have to disagree with that. Eastern Europe has so many interesting places to visit (it’s a shame people associate it with cheap stag do’s!). I’ve been to several countries in that area. Super cheap and a wealth of culture.

My least enjoyable holiday has been AI and my favourites have been caravan holidays...but I know there is a whole spectrum in between.
I prefer self catering to hotel, as there is still an option to eat out.

...and conversely, for us, the caravan 'holiday' in Weymouth was the most crap and AI abroad, with three teens, was the most relaxing