Good weekend?
While there has been a dramatic rise in the number of overseas holidays taken by UK travellers in the last twenty years, it is the short break which has become particularly popular.
Trips with a duration of 2-5 days now account for a third of holidays abroad - almost double the proportion of twenty years ago. The share of holidays lasting for two weeks has dropped from a fifth of trips, to less than a tenth of trips (ONS).
What has fueled the rise of short breaks?
The ability to spread holiday allowance throughout the year, increased cost efficiency, spontaneity and frequency of travel makes short breaks an increasingly attractive option. This has been helped by:
The ease of booking trips online - 80% of people booked their holiday online in 2018
The rise of low-cost carriers, such as Ryanair and easyJet
Expanding flight schedules and more choice
Greater flexibility amongst travel companies regarding payment (deposit only options, free cancellations, reserve now and pay later agreements)
Transparent booking systems and price comparison websites
What types of short breaks are in demand?
Over half of those taking short breaks overseas take city breaks (Mintel) and Europe remains the most popular holiday destination for UK travellers, with 61% planning a trip to Europe in the next 12 months (ABTA). Beach breaks are the second most popular holiday, with 40% of holidaymakers taking a beach holiday in the last year (ABTA).
Other popular short breaks include adventure breaks, such as countryside breaks, skiing and glamping trips. There are also an increasing number of holidays focused upon self-care and wellbeing, including spa and fitness retreats and health and nutrition breaks as we discussed in last week's Pragmatist.
What new entrants are doing well in this market?
Jack's Flight Club launched in 2016 with an email newsletter and mobile app focusing on helping users discover cheap flights, using flight deal alerts. At the heart of Jack’s Flight Club's proposition is helping like-minded-travellers to travel the world on a budget, enabling members to travel more frequently on the back of travel savings. Targeting those looking for short breaks, Jack's Flight Club send out a weekly `weekend-trips' featured newsletter to their community of members, which includes flights leaving from over 50 UK and northern Europe airports.
Launched in 2018, Cheeky Weekend's goal is to make the process of booking flights more enjoyable, specifically targeting busy, time-poor professionals, by providing a convenient, cost effective service for weekend breaks abroad. The concept was launched on the back of its founders' love for travelling but finding the experience of booking flights frustrating. All flights advertised are direct, and typically depart on a Friday evening, and return on Sunday evening, allowing people to make the most of their annual leave. Knowing that flights at peak departure times can be expensive, Cheeky Weekend monitors the price of weekend breaks over a six-month period, to determine the best value flights, offering a free and premium service to users.
Travellers opting for more frequent, shorter holidays throughout the year present a significant area of opportunity for travel agents, airlines and hotel providers. However, in order to be successful, they must have a targeted offer, coupled with a high level of convenience and transparency, to ensure a seamless customer journey.
Sophie Pisano