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!

Well I think all bets are off this year anyway! Dont think Cornwall will want 3m visitors any time soon . We were due to travel to US for my big birthday .However tentatively hoping for next Spring now ,fingers crossed! I also agree with other posters that holidays in UK are not cheap ,when compared to similar European holidays .Without being rude you are in a position to have travelled a great deal ,and many people havent, So probably happy to stay "at home" when others want to see a bit of the world!

This is why we like cottages. If it pisses down you can at least stay in in privacy and comfort, read, watch films.

Each to their own but most of the places I prefer to travel are not the UK, and I'll be back abroad as soon as humanly possible.

We'd be lucky to get a holiday this summer in the UK or abroad I would think!!! Love the UK but I would prefer to go abroad for the heat and change of scene for a summer break. We haven't been on holiday for a couple of years and we were really looking forward to camping in the South of France this year. Different for other times of year but I do love a warm summer holiday, UK has let me down without fail every time we have camped in the summer!

I do lots of long weekends away in the UK but I would not make it my main holiday of the year. I want heat and sun and a different culture. I don't 3

Posted to soon - I don't want to risk having rain wind and cold and pub food for over a week

I doubt if foreign holidays will be an option this year

So yes, "Buy British" instead

Hoping that TUI cancel my July holiday but I dont want to book any proper holiday in the UK either. Places in the SW I think will be very hostile to tourists for a while from what I have seen on MN.

I am thinking of two nights in a travel lodge back in my home town for a Christmas market or maybe at push Bath Christmas market.

But that it. Nothing feels safe and the hostility isn't appealing with young kids. I want to invest my money into my house too as its become the new only realistic holiday option.

Once it's safe I'm going back to abroad every few years with the UK alternatively. But def not this year, or maybe next. To uncertain and I dont want to loose any more money from.businees going bust or another peak and cancellations.

But the thought of never travelling on a plain again would be so depressing. Not really for me thanks

Love holidays in UK but like some guaranteed sun and warm summer evenings abroad which is never guaranteed here
We usually alternate UK holiday one year , abroad next year although to be fair that's probably also related to affordability

YABU. Holidaying in the UK is a waste of a week off.

I want guaranteed sun and varied cultures, so as soon as airlines are back up and running you can bet all my holidays will continue to be abroad.

If you want to stay here fine, but you have no business trying to “encourage” others on what to do.

As soon as it is safe to travel I will be straight on a plane. I have two dc who love flying and the whole airport experience too. They spend their whole holiday enjoying the sunshine, playing in the pool and going to water parks so not really possible to emulate that in the U.K.
We did have a holiday in Bournemouth a few years ago but it rained for five days out of seven, everywhere was overpriced, over crowded and it wasn’t much fun. Also cost as much as our holidays abroad too. If people like that kind of thing I’ll leave them to it!

I don’t think people will have the choice to do otherwise.

Beat me to it, I don't think we'll have much choice!
Really can't see people going abroad for their holidays any time this year.
Even if we did, and were able to, would anyone really want to be stuck abroad if there was a second wave/problem getting back?
I know I wouldn't.
Anyway, YANBU there's loads of beautiful places to visit in the UK.

I had given up long haul holidays way before Covid. Mainly because I can’t afford to up grade my flight and I am getting to old and grumpy to want to be crammed in cattle class for 10 hours plus.
When I was younger and the children were young we all loved our holidays. The airport and flight were part of the excitement and we would always be one of the first to check in so we could enjoy that extra hour watching the planes come in. Never thought it was any hassle to fly with young children and would rather do hours in a plane than the same hours stuck in a car on a motorway with the prospect of stopping for a wee and cup of tea at some filthy, overpriced service station.

Now a couple of hours getting to somewhere in Europe is enough for me, the children are grown and do their own thing, happily getting some strange connecting flights to get where they want to be.

But having said all that i think it is all pretty immaterial as I don’t think many places will be wanting us this year and possibly even next.
I live in a tourist area within spitting distance of the sea where a lot of businesses rely on the summer trade to see them though the winter but I can’t see many extra people wanting to holiday here if everything is still closed or only partially open.

Who wants to read books and watch films? That’s what we do at home. Boooring. I want swimming and snorkelling and exotic botanical gardens to walk in.

I like trips in the UK but not holidays.
I don’t want a week of rain.
My children don’t like long car journeys or stopping off. It takes us less time to travel to Spain that it would to Cornwall or Scotland, let alone costing us the price of a caravan for a week compared with a 5* hotel.
I don’t want to.
Thanks but no!

It never quite feels like a holiday when we stay in the UK, getting on a plane or ferry make it feel far more exciting. But we’ll probably have to holiday here this year if we are able too. But next year I’ll be off 🛫⛴

It takes us less time to travel to Spain that it would to Cornwall or Scotland, let alone costing us the price of a caravan for a week compared with a 5 hotel.*

Even allowing for the time it takes to clear immigration (which will be longer post Brexit anyway), collect your luggage and transfer to the resort? I’m genuinely interested.

And you have to get to airport check in two hours before you fly anyway.

SerenDippitty I don’t know about the poster you quoted, but for me, going to the airport, checking in, transfer to the hotel once you’re abroad.. all that is exciting and fun.

It is not exciting and fun sitting in a car on a motorway knowing that all that awaits you is dreary weather and similar places to where you’re from.

UK holidays are expensive, getting there is just as stressful and you always have to have a contingency plan for rain / cod / muddy days... which involves spending more money.

I can get 2 weeks Camping with lovely food and entertainment for the kids in Europe, the same holiday in the UK is 1 week and mediocre food in an overcrowded area.
And we do like holidays off the beaten track so no to Spain and all in beach holidays!

SerenDippitty - I can tell you that we used to holiday in Devon. It's a 5-6 hour drive from our home to the static home.
It takes 5-6 hours to visit my family when flying. Dorr to door.

And am now dreading my beloved ‘great place to get away from it all’ basic woodland campsites will now be full of people moaning about the weather.

Me and you both! UK holidays in the camper, walking the coastpaths, AONB etc you can't beat it. Certainly don't want moaning minnies clogging up the countryside, car parks, cafes etc. Stay home until your sunny, cheap holidays are up and running please! 🤣 And as for someone calling us 'unenlightened!... hilarious

I think some of these price comparisons are not accurate for accommodation. Proper 5* hotel abroad is the same price in high season as a caravan here? I simply don’t believe it! “5” rating by a holiday company maybe but even then I am sceptical. What about food costs? When I’ve stayed at real 5 star hotels they have expensive restaurants. 5 star isn’t AI! It’s always more to stay in a proper 5 star hotel than a caravan here for 5 people. Some prices written here are rubbish. If they are not, please post the evidence. And add in flight costs, car hire, transport costs and food costs to get a comparison and exactly the same week.

A UK holiday never feels like a proper holiday.
There is no excitement, no adventure.

When the children were younger we mistakenly thought Cornwall and Devon or north norfolk in a tent or caravan were all we could afford. Rain, damp or if the sun actually came out people everywhere. No where to park. Everything costing £££, and ending up eating EXACTLY the same food from Tesco we could at home.
Then we worked out that by driving to France or Italy it was actually cheaper for a nice campsite or caravan. The journey was part of the adventure. Camping isn't shit if it nicely warm- it was a revelation. And supermarkets with interesting food, and getting to speak in a different language and not knowing what shops or cafes you may come across, or what is round the next corner.

This year we were planning an interrailling adventure to Berlin, Budapest and Italy. And I'm proper pissed off it won't happen.

So, whilst I get that nowhere will let us visit them for a while, I cannot bloody wait to get on Eurostar and head off for a proper holiday and we will be staying at home and saving our money this year rather than wasting it on a disappointing UK break.

People won't have the choice not to, however should we really risk the lives of people living in the country? In these areas hospitals are smaller with less ICU capacity...