Now more than ever we are witnessing an influx of people voyaging to the coast or a quaint hotel in the countryside, instead of long haul flights abroad. A few reasons this could be attributed to are; the risks of covid or hassle of self isolating before/after, economic climate – people may have less disposable income to spend on holidays abroad, less hassle or ease of travel and wanting to put money back into our own economy. Whatever the reason, more staycations are exactly what the British tourism industry needs.
What makes a good Staycation?
This mostly depends on what you want to get out of your holiday. For example; exploring all the tourist attractions, a quiet retreat, or relaxing on the beach or at a spa. The best part of a staycation is exploring places you potentially never knew existed! Locating hidden gems in the countryside or by the coast; truly appreciating everything that our country already has to offer. Filling with a sense of national pride as you bask in the wonders of British summer time; the thrill of the unpredictable emotions of Mother Nature. Indulging in British fish and chips, which you just cannot get anywhere else in the world. Encapsulating the overwhelming view of the greenest countryside. The homogenous theme throughout all of these is simply taking a break. A disconnection from the fast paced society, taking the time to enjoy your own company or that of others who you would perhaps otherwise take for granted. Time to recharge, whether that be home or away, is a necessity for everyone.
The truth is- travelling abroad is a luxury that many people simply cannot afford. A ‘staycation’ is the only ‘vacation’ that some will ever experience. Speaking of a staycation in reference to travelling somewhere else in the UK is perhaps a classist definition. By falling into the trap of assuming everyone has the possibility of travelling somewhere else in the UK, makes me a naive contributor to the class system. Perhaps a more true definition of a staycation would be not travelling anywhere at all; spending quality time with friends and family who you otherwise would not normally have enough time for. r. Whatever your definition of a staycation, for once, many of us are in the same stationary boat this year, and we need to make the most of it.
The Benefits of a Staycation
This year in particular, the overriding benefit of a staycation will be the ease of travel. The process of travelling abroad and returning to the UK seems to be getting more and more complicated everyday! Do a PCR test before you leave, submit it with enough time to get to a test centre who can give you your result 24 hours before your travel – but you also cannot physically take the test longer than 24 hours before your travel or the test will be invalid? Re-entering the country then takes you on a completely different saga! If you do travel anywhere else in the UK however, I would recommend taking regular lateral flow tests to help prevent the spread as much as you can.
Supporting the local economy is another benefit that is particularly relevant following the pandemic. Like all sectors, hospitality and tourism have certainly taken a massive hit. One way to do something to help, is to visit travel destinations within the UK, and by doing so, you are not only supporting a struggling business, but also putting money back into the economy – which can only be a good thing.
Avoiding travel abroad is also much better for the environment, with aviation emissions being much higher per person compared to other means of travel, with public transport obviously being the optimum. Even if you are travelling abroad, travelling by car or train instead is one easy way to reduce your carbon footprint. With the global climate continuously changing rather drastically, we should all be aiming to make these small changes wherever we can, so hopefully altogether they can add up to large changes.
Home is where the heart is
When you think of all the aspects of a vacation that you enjoy, is there really any part that cannot be done right here in our own country?Truly taking the time to enjoy yourself is the true ‘vacation’, a break from the infinite treadmill of life, that appears to get faster every minute. Take this opportunity to visit new places, or old comforts. Explore places you’ve always wanted to, or take a trip down memory lane, looming with nostalgia. Staycations, whatever your definition of the term, are certainly the way forward.
