Brits are searching for cottages with swimming pools, information about travel bans, and holidays in Cornwall as interest in staycations surge amidst the planned return of UK holidays from 12th April.
Demand for UK staycations has been at a record level over the past year with international travel restrictions having been enforced for most of the year. Following news that staycations should be allowed again from 12th April interest has soared once more.
At Independent Cottages we have conducted research to find the most popular staycation trends and information Brits are searching for according to Google.
We looked at Google search trends data to find out what locations, what type of holidays and other staycation searches people have been looking for as the lockdown roadmap sets out a plan for the return of UK travel.
Interest in Staycations is Soaring
In the last week of March search volume for ‘UK staycation’ hit its highest level since August 2020, as the roadmap plans restored confidence in when UK holidays could be taken once more.
Compared to this time last year, when the country was in full lockdown, search interest among Brits for ‘staycation’ is 20 times higher.
On top of that search volume for ‘UK summer holidays 2021’ has increased in search volume by a whopping 2,850% in past 90 days
Interestingly people living in Wales have conducted the most Google searches for staycations over the last 30 days, with the Welsh contingency clearly keen to plan their UK travel once more.
But all Brits are clearly keen to know for sure when UK holidays will resume with searches for ‘When will UK holidays be allowed’ being one of Google’s rising searches over the last 30 days and questions around bans and fines also being breakout topics over the past 30 days.
Popular UK Holiday Types
When it comes to the types of UK holidays Brits are searching for we are delighted, though not surprised, to see that cottage holidays are a top choice.
Compared to this same time last year, searches for ‘UK cottage holidays’ are up 2966%.
When it comes to amenities and types of property, cottages with swimming pools are one of the most popular types of accommodation people are searching for – with searches for ‘UK cottages with pool’ up 550% on last year.
Farm stay cottages and dog friendly cottages are also two of the most popular queries Brits have been searching for around cottage holidays over the past 90 days, according to Google.
Other popular options for UK holidays include glamping – with search interest for glamping holidays up 60% over the past 30 days, while holidays by train are also proving popular with a 700% increase in search interest for ‘train holidays uk’ over the last 90 days.
With the Mediterranean and Caribbean seemingly out of reach for this year there is also an increased interest in UK beach holidays, with search queries for ‘UK beach holidays’ 211% higher than this time last year.
Not only can we see an increase in appetite for UK holidays this year, but we can also see that confidence in being able to travel within the UK this spring and summer is far greater than it was at this same time last year when so much uncertainty remained.
Most Popular UK Staycation Destinations
- Cornwall
- Devon
- Brighton
When it comes to the most popular UK holiday destinations, Cornwall remains the favourite according to Google – with the highest search volume over the past 30 days compared to all other destinations we analysed.
Also reigning supreme are Devon and Brighton, beating the likes of Peak District, Lake District and Cotswolds as some of the most popular UK holiday destinations people have been searching for over the last 30 days.
Looking specifically at popular destinations for UK cottage holidays, Google reports a number of breakout destinations which have been rising in search interest over the last 30 days including:
- Callington
- Pembrokeshire
- Salcombe
- Isle of Wight
- Bournemouth
- Northumberland
When it comes to UK staycations for summer 2021, availability is already booking up fast.
We recommend keeping an eye on last-minute availability to snap up late cancellations or new to market properties.