A new study conducted by Tripadvisor reveals that three in five Britons believe inflation will impact the way they travel. On August 16th, the travel company released its 2022 Autumn Travel Index, which aims to reveal what and where is hot for British travelers this autumn.
The study, which is based on a combination of Tripadvisor’s first party search and proprietary consumer sentiment data, shows that while the busy summer travel season is coming to an end, Brits’ appetite to head off on holiday is by no means over.
While interest rates have just risen to 1.75%, the highest since 2008, over two-thirds of UK respondents (68%) say that they are planning an Autumn break this year. Millennials are the most likely to take a trip this autumn, with almost three-quarters (73%) saying that they plan to do so. Boomers are the least likely at 60%.
1. Impact of higher cost of living
The study showed that while spiraling costs won’t put Brits off traveling this upcoming season, three out of five (60%) said that inflation will impact the way in which they travel. Thirty percent said that they will likely travel for shorter lengths of time and the same number said that they will likely travel somewhere closer to home than previously planned. Gen Z travelers appear to be the most affected by price hikes as 69% said the rising cost of living will change the way that they intend to travel. Boomers seem to be the least affected with just 31% saying the same.
For the majority of Brits, continued rising costs are unsurprisingly prompting consumers to alter their spending habits, inclusive of adjusting their travel plans. Despite rising costs, however, the survey also showed that two out of five (37%) Brits still intend to travel as planned this Autumn – inflation be damned.
For many, it seems that a holiday is too precious to give up and Brits would rather cut back on expenses elsewhere to protect that all important time away. In fact, forty-three percent of UK respondents said that they plan to travel more this Autumn than they did during the same period last year, rising to 69% for Gen Z travelers when breaking out by generation. More than one in two (53%) Brits plan to spend more with two-thirds (66%) of Gen Z travelers claiming they’ll do the same.
This is also reflected in traveler behavior, as Tripadvisor site data shows that the average value of a trip booked by UK travelers this Autumn is 83% higher than the same period in 2021. Brits are revealed as the biggest spenders globally (of the five markets analyzed) after Americans.
2. Domestic and international travel remain popular
domestic trips are still the number one choice, with almost two-thirds (60%) of global travelers opting to travel this way this Autumn. Over half of Brits (51%) say that they plan to travel abroad versus 49% choosing to stay within the UK.
Most Brits (75%) say that they plan to travel between one and six hours from home, while almost a quarter (23%) are heading somewhere seven or more hours away. The majority (58%) of Brits are planning to take a trip of at least four nights this Autumn and Tripadvisor search data underlines the first and second weeks of September as the most popular travel dates for UK travelers this Autumn.
3. Scenery and food top priorities for travelers
The Index revealed that the top five picks for Brits are: scenery (53%), food (52%), weather (42%), culture (40%) and activities (38%). More than one in five (21%) said that the purpose of their trip is to experience something new and unique and the same number have booked an on-trip activity ahead of their trip to help them do so.
As many Brits report wanting new and unique experiences this Autumn and almost a third (30%) said that activities are the most memorable part of a trip, below Tripadvisor breaks down the top ten trending destinations for Brits this Autumn, along with a top-rated experience to be had there.
When looking at destinations which have seen the biggest year-on-year increase in searches, Nemocón, Colombia tops the list. Known as home to the second largest salt mine in Colombia, Nemocón is a small town on the outskirts of Bogota, the South American country’s capital.
Visitors to the town can explore the salt mine 80 meters underground and marvel at the world’s biggest salt crystal, known as the ‘Colombian Heart’. This is followed by the Greek island that has been attracting showbiz royalty over the past couple of years: Mykonos.
Turkey boasts four destinations in the top ten, with Istanbul, Alanya, Guvercinlik and Antalya ranking fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh fastest growing destinations for Brits this Autumn respectively.
