After two years of uncertainty and disruption (and with what looks like more to come), there are many reasons why British holidaymakers are choosing to stay closer to home. From Covid restrictions to environmental concerns coupled with a cost of living crisis that’s impacting budgets, the last couple of years have seen a huge increase in people spending more time locally.

The rise in staycation popularity is happening globally with research showing the level of staycations being taken has increased by an average of 18%. This domestic demand seems to have caused an increase in the cost of staycations around the globe, with Index Digital reporting that the average cost of a room per night has risen by 16%.

Of course Staycations are much more appealing for those lucky enough to live in tourism-rich, picturesque countries with a pleasant climate. Britons were spoilt in 2020 with endless sunny days (but nowhere to go), but the consistent bad weather of 2021 has left many staycationers dreaming of sunnier shores again. Even so, the general feeling is that domestic tourism and staycations in the UK will be much more commonplace from now on.

Dealing with the aftermath of Brexit and the Pandemic, travel abroad is still off the table for many people in the United Kingdom. According to a Barclays survey 52% of 25 – 34 year olds plan to increase their UK based holiday time, mainly because of the positive experiences they’ve had and want to repeat.  According to a Holiday Cottages survey in 2021, 4 in 5 people are planning a staycation and are keen to explore more of what the UK has to offer.

The cost of holidaying at home

Whilst the 2021 staycation boom occurred because people weren’t able to leave the country easily, consumers were shocked when they found a week in Cumbria was 4 times the price as a week on the shores of Lake Garda. Data from AirDNA found that self-catering accommodation in the UK cost 41% more in August 2021 than it did in 2019. Rory Boland of Which? relates “Holidaying at home has always been expensive, but the situation has become far worse during the pandemic and it’s no wonder many people have felt priced out of a holiday.”

On top of this, 2022 will see UK families battle with a cost of living hike which could impact many travel plans. Energy bills, transport costs and supermarket prices are hitting people’s pockets and they may have to reign back on holiday plans. But there is a glimmer of hope for the hospitality industry. Researchers at Mintel have noted that “many consumers have been able to top up their savings during the pandemic and travel will be one of the main areas to benefit from pent-up demand for experiences that have been off limits”. So long as you can make your property affordable at this time, people are desperate to get away.

5 ways capitalise on the rise of Staycations

1. Give holidaymakers what they want

According to Snaptrip, the Top 10 most desired features for UK Staycations are:

  1. Beach nearby
  2. Pet friendly
  3. Hot tub
  4. Enclosed garden
  5. Pub nearby
  6. Games room
  7. Wi-Fi
  8. Swimming pool
  9. Luxury
  10. Secluded

If your property can cater for any of these wishes – shout about it! Consider localising PPC campaigns and target customers within a specific region, and make sure that your website is optimised for staycation searches. If you don’t have a swimming pool or games room, partner with local attractions to offer value for money trips and activities in your area.

2. Target new customers

Adapting your property’s marketing to target local holiday makers will help you fill the gap left by reducing business-traveller numbers. Concentrate on creating promotional offers on short stay breaks for couples and families. Also try to attract the new wave of workers who don’t need to go to a set office any more. Promote work-week getaways where people who just want to leave their home and work in a different environment can take advantage of your wifi and coffee.

3. Extend your services to keep up with the latest trends

Look at how you can extend services to capitalise on popular search terms such as “Glamping” and “Cabins”.  Another trending search is around sustainable travel, so celebrate what staying local can do to help people reduce their impact on the environment. Take advantage of remote office working by attracting local day visitors through offering working lunches to give people a break when working from home.

4. Allow potential guests to book with you direct

Ensure your website is optimised for more traffic and encourage more direct bookings with staycation offers like those offered by the Chequers in Newbury, who offer 10% off their room rate if you book direct. Make sure your PMS system has a booking engine so you can take back ownership of your guest’s stays.  Allow consumers to add specific requirements in advance online, and make sure you have flexible refund and cancellation policies.

5. Focus on providing excellent customer experiences

Customer service is paramount to encouraging your new staycationers to keep on returning, and also to provide you with word-of-mouth advertising. Local travellers who have experienced your offerings are more likely to recommend visiting you to friends in the same area.

The award winning Property Management System roomMaster Anywhere is streamlined, simple and automated which allows you more time to focus on service and improving customer experiences, rather than dealing with hotel administration.

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InnQuest Software is a leading technology provider for the hospitality industry. For over 25 years, innQuest has combined hotelier experience with innovative technology to deliver an all-in-one solution that empowers hotels to attract guests, drive customer loyalty, and increase profits. Our flagship property management software, roomMaster, helps manage over 5,500 properties across 100 countries. InnQuest develops scalable solutions ranging from a Hotel PMS, Cloud PMS, Channel Manager, Hotel CRM and helps properties enable guests to Book Direct. We believe that everyone deserves a great guest experience, whether they’re staying at a small B&B, a thousand-room resort, or anywhere in between.

Call us today on +44 (0) 33 0100 1090, or email us at sales@innquestemea.com. We will be happy to walk you through innQuest’s solutions.

For US, please call +1 813 288 4900 or email sales@innquest.com.