14 Reasons why you should try a staycation.
A staycation is a holiday where you stay in your country of residence, exploring new towns and cities. The South of England has some fantastic areas for a staycation, which can be more affordable than you think.
1. Short Breaks
A staycation works well for a short break. These are often needed to recharge your batteries or an opportunity to use fewer holiday days at work. In this scenario, a staycation can be perfect and often fit in to a busier schedule.
2. Saves You Money
A staycation can cut out a lot of extra costs. Airline tickets, hold luggage, reserved seats, parking or taxi costs all mount up and often at inflated tourist prices. With a tank of petrol or a train ticket, you will be surprised how much you save, allowing to make your staycation extra special if you wanted.
3. Planning time
Arranging everything for a holiday takes time. Flights, insurance, visas, vaccination, rentals, accommodation, currently are all things we spend time on in preparation for travelling abroad. On top of that, you may schedule plan, attractions, restaurant, cultural attractions, before looking at cultural norms and etiquette and before you know it you have started a project. Your planning time for your staycation will be reduced.
4. They Make Great Surprises
If you have a celebration for someone, it is a lot easier for everyone to meet at a luxury location and make their celebration that much more special with their loved ones.
5. Climate
In recent years with the climate changing, this has meant we have seen a rise in heat waves and forest fires in many tourism hot spots. This can lead to many problems when abroad, even to the point of potentially cancelling your holiday. The UK has a variety of things to do even if there is the occasional day of rain.
6. Greener way to travel
We are becoming more aware of our carbon footprint and the impact it has on our world. By switching flying abroad to exploring your own country, lessens you travel emissions and improves the sustainability of your holiday.
7. Travel risk
This year has seen a number of impacts on travelling during your holiday, in particular there has been flight, train and ferry delays largely due to staffing and air traffic control issues. Whilst roads in the UK are busy, delays can be counted in hours and not days and the implications are far less expensive.
8. Discover Your Doorstep
We get so caught up in going abroad that sometimes we forget just how stunning our own country is. You can view your own country with a different mindset and experience local traditions, culture, history and cuisine, getting the same traveller buzz.
9. Accommodation
There is now a far greater choice of high-quality self-catering accommodation throughout the UK, that you have many options when planning a trip for you and your fellow guests, whether planning a university reunion or Grandad’s 80th birthday.
10. No language issues
We have all been there when we order from the menu and you are hoping they have understood your order or request or getting lost in a taxi trying to find the local waterpark. For some, the language barrier is a source of stress and when you take a staycation you can avoid these communication break downs, however, you may experience a few different accents.
11. No passport and visa requirements
Valid passports, visa requirements, travel insurance documentation and other travel approved documentation can be a small nightmare for families booking travel abroad, as well as the costs. With your staycation, you won’t need any of these. One less thing to worry about can make your holiday much more enjoyable.
12. No currency issues
With your staycation, there is no currency that needs exchanging. You can use your British pounds in cash and bank card form. Checking exchange rates, working out how much you may need, letting banks know you’re taking your card abroad, making sure you have the right money takes a lot of planning.
13. Less Stressful
Your staycation will help you full unwind. No flights to catch, lost luggage, vaccinations, medical documentation or culture shocks. Knowing what you can eat and the familiarity of your country, helps you relax and feeling more refreshed.
14. Fuelling local economy
Local shops, restaurants, attractions, accommodation and taxis all contribute to the local economy within your country. This helps maintain jobs and thriving towns and cities.
In these challenging times perhaps supporting UK tourism and the economy is not a bad thing!
Check out our feature on the New Forest, which became a national park in 2005 and was once a royal hunting ground for William the Conqueror. It covers an area of 566 square kilometres and is made up of vast tracts of unspoilt woodland, heathland and river valleys. Today deer, ponies and cattle continue to roam free in its ancient heaths and woodland. Clear rivers and shady groves provide tranquillity and a car-free haven for walking, cycling and horse riding.
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