Trend Two

Creative tourists

Forget spending your holiday lying on a beach and doing nothing. With UK employees working some of the longest hours in Europe, holidays are one of the few opportunities to enjoy a hobby, play sport or learn a new skill – whether it’s spicing things up with salsa classes or learning to cook real Italian just like Mamma used to make.

Our research indicates that gone are the days when you booked a package holiday and spent a week in the same resort. People now increasingly use their destination as a base from where they can explore the local area or even further afield by hiring a car or booking additional day trips.

In 2007, searches for creative holiday activities via Expedia.co.uk increased - a trend which looks set to grow with a quarter of Expedia customers saying they plan to use their holiday in 2008 to learn a new skill or hobby.(2)

As the home of St Andrews, it’s not surprising that 13 per cent of Scots are planning a golf-themed holiday this year. Those in the West Midlands are hoping to ‘find themselves’ this year with 18 per cent planning a selfenlightenment trip.(4)

Those in the South West obviously enjoy their cycling holidays (34 per cent) and are also the keenest on wine-tasting holidays with 33 per cent heading for the vineyards this year. Londoners, however, prefer a different form of exercise while on holiday with 24 per cent intending to salsa, rumba or involve some kind of dance activity on their next trip. Those from the capital are also the most flexible, literally, with 17 per cent planning a yoga or pilates holiday for 2008.(5)

Over half of travellers are looking for a combination of relaxation, culture and sport from their holiday in 2008. Those over 65 are most focused on relaxation while a fifth (21 per cent) of those aged 18-24 indicate a preference for trips with sporting or cultural activities.(6)

Those in the North East are the most chilled out on holiday with 41 per cent hoping for a purely relaxed 2008 holiday while those in Wales have the itchiest holiday feet with over a fifth (21 per cent) disliking the idea of a ‘lazy break’. Londoners have the most balanced approach to holidays with almost two thirds (64 per cent) of travellers choosing a combination of relaxation, culture and sporting activities for their 2008 holiday.(7)

It is not just the short breakers who are tapping into more adventurous destinations. Time and work pressures in the UK mean that holidays are as much about reconnecting and experiencing new things with your family as they are about the destination. The rise in experiential holidays has seen families travel even further afield to destinations such as New Zealand, Cape Verde and the US where they can experience outdoor adventure breaks that capture the imagination.