To be surprised that family attractions are so busy?

[cattyfranny]

I see and hear a lot about families cutting back due to the current economic situation and yet attractions (theme parks, zoos etc) and holiday parks (Centre Parcs etc) seem to be packed. I thought Christmas businesses might suffer but those that have started taking bookings are already selling out. Are people going into debt for this kind of thing? Or are there more people with high disposable income than I realise?

Like where and under what circumstances, do they have the right to work where they are going, visas, are these British citizens you're talking about?

I couldn't find any suitable holidays (4 ASD DC and a dog makes for a complicated set of requirements), so we've done more days out.

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure if you are working for and being paid by a UK based company but just happen to be doing that work remotely in a foreign country try you dont actually need a working visa for that country. I could be wrong though but I know a fair few people who have taken extended trips abroad and continued their UK based remote job whilst there.

I think you do need a visa but not sure

I didnt think the poster meant that sort of scenario anyway, they seemed to write as if it was just a choice that their friend could just up and work elsewhere, and of course some can because they might have those circumstances but I wouldnt have thought thats an option for the majority

That's only for the median version of 'average', the mode would probably be quite different and the mean different again! As the man said, give me your raw data, tell me what you want to 'prove' and I'll prove it for you!

As a lot of people have said, there could be a lot of reasons for this:

-Holidays and trips are often booked for and budgeted in advance, so we won't see the full impact until next summer.
-People are cutting back by having UK holidays or day trips, rather than, say, 2 weeks abroad.
-People have saved money due to not going away for the past 2 years etc, so can afford a bit extra this summer.
-People are choosing to holiday in the UK this year for various reasons.
-The big price rises haven't hit a lot of people yet, so they are enjoying things whilst they can.
-Due to covid, people feel more of a pressure to get out and do things whilst they are available.

It sounds mad, but some people genuinely aren't aware of the cost of living increases, or don't think they'll be as bad as projected because the government can't possibly allow it to happen. And so, at the moment they may feel comfortably off and want to enjoy it.

I don't think we'll start to see the real impact until December/January time at the earliest. I also think that, unfortunately, some businesses will struggle to survive, and then you'll get people hit by redundancies etc.

I'm also not convinced places are as busy as they were in 2019- I think they may feel busy because we're used to 2020/21 levels. I live in a tourist area and went out on Friday- I was expecting places to be rammed. It was busy, but not completely packed, I'd say quieter than 2019 levels BUT busier than the last two years.

People will always go somewhere whilst other people watch them, If you can go out without looking at the bank balance every minute then they have a right to do so. There are people with money & others without money as it always has been It will never change

People I know are moving to various places in mainland Europe, Thailand, India, Costa Rica, Mexico. I don’t know all the details of what passports they hold or their paperwork I’m afraid. Some are making use of digital nomad visas.

I think the way the media has reported the increases means that lots wont understand the issues

They keep reporting a year price cap, as if the price cap is so many thousands a year, without any reference to unit prices or likely usage.

Therefore they will be less bothered by the costs to come

We’ve been to lots of attractions over the years but have never paid full price. I always saved up Tesco points for the holidays or looked for 2 for 1 offers. Took picnics. Made it affordable and I imagine many people do the same.

*Like where and under what circumstances, do they have the right to work where they are going, visas, are these British citizens you're talking about(

They probably don't have visas but as long as they don't stay longer than the 90 days in 180, who's going to know that they are working? Estonia and (I think) Portugal have remote worker visas too.

Their employers may not know where they are either - it's easy enough to blue your background on calls or use a fake background. Lots of people have branded backgrounds that they use.

Good point, Ive often wondered that!!

I think that "THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS" has been blown up so high, so fast and so scarily by the media and social media, that people simply cannot believe it will be allowed to get that bad, so put their head in the sand and wait for the government to fix it.

In many people's heads it is preposterous and inconceivable that they will not step in at some point if things are really going to get that bad, so it's OK to just ignore it.

Why worry, why hold back from enjoying life if it is all going to be sorted out? The shock comes later...

I think that if people CAN just about afford to do things with their children then they recognise the value in that, and are willing to go without some other things to pay for it.

We will have to make some cutbacks, but we've committed and booked a Cornwall holiday next year because our children are only children for a few years, and I would rather give them that experience than redecorate a room or have a weekly takeaway for instance.

Most of my family are looking at saving less, rather than dipping into savings. Still being sensible, switching where they shop etc, they have been doing pre-booked breaks. I think many people will prioritise kids in the budget so you will still see family stuff booked out. I would do the same. We have just carried on as normal and accepted lower savings as we aren’t willing to give up DD’s activities ( the ones that make her tired enough to go to bloody sleep).

Quite a few people (us included) will have been using bookings/tickets paid for in 2020 which were on their final chance. We were nervous about crossing the Channel (although in the event non Dover-Calais crossings were fine) but needed to use 2020's ferry tickets before they expired.

We were coping financially, didnt have tonnes spare but enough to have meals out and the occasional day out, not enough for a holiday.

Now, with our mortgage likely to sky rocket next year and energy bills tripled we'll be fighting to keep a roof over our head.

But, these increases are only hitting us now. I imagine other people are the same as us, trying to enjoy life until winter and those bills hit. I imagine there will be a downturn in these business, but still enough people will go to keep them open.

I think many folks saw which way it was going months ago so tightened their belts in anticipation. Remember the COVID prepping. We were reaching a mindset back in 2019. Fear of unemployment, lockdowns we got into the habit of savings cutting back then. We're more prepared than we would have been otherwise