Brits will do anything to save money on a holiday
Cash-strapped travellers are increasingly looking for ways to save money on holidays as they refuse to miss out on them completely and see them as a right rather than a luxury.
According to a survey by leading travel and leisure retailer lastminute.com, savvy holiday-makers are still managing to get away during recession-hit times because they are willing to compromise on certain areas of their holiday, often travelling to destinations off-peak.
The research shows that a quarter of Brits have been on holiday out of season in the past three years, and almost a third would be willing to miss out on hot weather in order to save money.
According to previous research from lastminute.com, almost three-quarters of Britons took a holiday in 2010, and 47 per cent holidayed at least twice, suggesting that even in tough economic times we regard our holidays as an essential and will always manage to find ways to get away.
Mark Maddock, Managing Director for lastminute.com UK and Ireland comments: "There are always ways to get away without spending beyond our means. The Med in November can still be pleasantly warm and with the huge savings that can be made, it’s an ideal solution for those who are watching the pennies but still keen for a break. Similarly, far-flung destinations such as the Caribbean can be absolute bargains out of high season."
Almost half of off-peak holiday-makers cite money saving as the key factor in their decision – a substantial 43 per cent of these travellers said this was the reason they’d holidayed out-of-season in the past . Other reasons include escaping the crowds and avoiding extreme heat.
The survey also found that a quarter of Brits would be willing to compromise on the quality of the airline, whilst a similar number will miss out on the number of daylight hours whilst away and 23 per cent are prepared to go as far as to settle for less activities and amenities when going on an out-of-season holiday.
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