Lockdown life is no longer a novelty. We’ve watched all the TV series we could possibly want to. The house has been spring cleaned 48 times. The Doberman has been walked so much it’s now a sausage dog. You get it. Lockdown’s a bore.
We need a holiday, and as luck would have it, summer is just around the corner, but sadly it doesn’t look like many of us will be going far…
The little taste of British sunshine over the last couple of weeks has certainly whetted our appetite for more. So what do we do? Wait a bit longer and leg it to the travel agent to book the first flight to Spain?
That’s if they let us in and the flight prices don’t mean we’ll need to sell a few vital organs to get there. Or, perhaps we should keep hold of last year’s Euros, for next year and think about a ‘staycation’…
What is a staycation?
Sounds like a name for something underwhelming? For those of you unfamiliar with the term – a staycation is a holiday just in your home country. Still sounds underwhelming? Well, listen up…
In 2018, 45.2 million staycations were had in England. Of these, 29.7 million were short breaks of between one and three nights, while 15.5 million longer breaks (4+ nights) were taken.
The UK has some beautiful places to visit, for culture, nature, scenery and attractions. The opportunity or newly enforced requirement to holiday in the UK could well see us fall in love and appreciate our home country, and here’s why….
What are the benefits of holidaying in the UK?
- On a serious note, not having to pass through airport security, passport control etc.. is not only saving a whole bunch of hassle but for those still concerned about infection, it is further prevention of infection risks associated with overseas travel.
- You don’t have as to far to travel which gives you more time to relax and discover new places.
- The newly configured Dobermans/Sausage Dogs can come along.
- No luggage restrictions (no plastic bag for toiletries).
- No language barriers.
- The comfort that if anything goes wrong you’re just a car journey away from home.
- No mobile phone roaming charges.
- You can contribute to boosting the UK economy by spending money on local attractions and ‘domestic tourism’ (we’ll be needing all the help we can get!). In fact, according to research by Visit Britain, the UK has spent an impressive £79 billion on domestic tourism, simply by exploring places and attractions that are on their doorstep.
Then, of course, there’s ice cream, scones, clotted cream and fudge. What’s not to like about those? Slot machines – the joy of spending £20 in two pence pieces for a key ring. Yes, please! Holidaying in the UK is not a new phenomenon, in fact, it’s been a long been a part of the holiday landscape.
There a whole selection of holidays, for families, adventurers, and couples looking for some romance. Britain has so much to offer it’s hard to know where to start. There are lakes and mountains for the energetic, city breaks for culture and fine dining, and the good old British seaside. And that’s just for starters. There is so much to do it’s sometimes difficult to choose.
Should I still get insurance cover if I stay in the UK for my holiday?
Yes. Did you pay for your trip? Do you own possessions? If you paid for your trip and you own stuff, some of which you plan to take with you, then for these two reasons alone, you should buy insurance. Getting travel insurance for a holiday in the UK is just as important as buying it for when you go abroad, as there are still instances which can leave you out of pocket.
Although the cover may be slightly different for a UK policy – for example, we have free medical care in the UK so there isn’t a need for this cover – many of the core insurance aspects are still necessary and included as standard.
Travel insurance could also cover you for unexpected losses while travelling in the UK, such as property damage. Rented holiday home vs ‘the kids’ can be an expensive game to play. A travel insurance policy should protect you from costs associated with accidental damage to a rental property. If you’ve ever been down the A303, which feels like the longest road in the world, it could feel even longer if you break down and you only have ‘near home’ cover on your roadside policy (I’m speaking from experience).
Some UK travel policies will help offer reimbursement of emergency call-out costs if your vehicle the breaks down, some will extend to accommodation nearby until your vehicle is fixed.
Things to check: How long are you going for? It’s worth knowing that most travel insurance policies will only cover UK breaks if they are for more than two nights and you are staying in pre-booked accommodation, such as hotel, log cabin, caravan, etc. There are, however, a few policies that do not have a minimum duration so it’s always worth checking.
Will we be able to go on holiday in the UK this year?
We hope so, after weeks/months of lockdown, homeschooling, working from home and building forts out of loo roll, we need to get out!
There is a lot of uncertainty around when the travel restrictions will be lifted and whether the coronavirus will be under control in time for the summer holidays. However, there’s no harm in exploring the options.
Tour operators are currently offering credit notes and vouchers allowing those with holidays booked abroad to postpone their trips. But should movement around the UK be lifted before travel restrictions abroad then there will be many people longing for a well-deserved UK getaway.
Of course, there is no guarantee that movement around the UK will be lifted in time for summer. There may be new restrictions on movement but navigating those on home soil may be a much more attractive proposition than doing it abroad. But many travel experts believe that when the lockdown starts to be lifted many may feel more comfortable holidaying near home than jumping on a plane.
