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Spending on holidays is bouncing back – as travel budgets rise by 10 percent, study finds | Travel News | Travel
Holiday budgets have risen by 10 percent this year as spending on getaways bounces back, research has found. A poll of 2,000 adults found they are typically willing to spend £1,015 in 2023, up from £927 last year.
The study also revealed how the economic climate has changed booking habits for 64 percent, with one in four looking to travel outside of peak season. October and November are now the top choices for those looking to avoid the highest prices.
The research was commissioned by HSBC UK, to mark the launch of a new cash offer for new customers opening both a current account, and a Global Money account.
Simon Calder, travel journalist and broadcaster, said: “This surge shows the insatiable appetite for travel. The last few years have been very difficult for many reasons – but we are now seeing more people willing to invest in enriching experiences.
“Our appreciation of travel has intensified after the pandemic – as the saying goes, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.
“The desire to create lasting memories is prompting individuals and families to prioritise holidays – and specifically, to seek out activities, local cuisine, and culturally immersive tours.
“But while this is happening, costs are still on holidaymakers’ minds – as many are strategically ditching the summer months in favour of October and November.
“I will be travelling extensively in Europe over the next few weeks. In the southern Mediterranean, the sun is still shining and the sea is warm. The crowds have vanished, and the prices are dwindling too.
“By opting for travel during the autumn, you can enjoy the last of the summer sunshine in the south – and, in the poetry of John Keats, the “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” in the north. And all without breaking the bank.”
The HSBC UK research also revealed the number of people holidaying at home has dropped by 21 percent compared with last year – as one in three (32 percent) are aiming to find a cheaper holiday abroad.
The most important factor for those travelling last year was their trip offering value for money – but this has now been replaced by chasing the weather.
However, while many are still choosing cheaper getaways abroad, the bank warns about fees when spending overseas with debit cards.
Many mainstream debit cards charge a transaction fee of between 2.75 percent and 2.99 percent on spending abroad – meaning that, by spending €1,000, travellers could be charged up to £25 in fees.
And using a debit card to withdraw cash overseas also typically comes with a cash handling fee of around two percent, or a minimum of £3 – so using a cash machine five times while in Europe, withdrawing €200 a time, the fees would total around £42.
Pella Frost, head of everyday banking at HSBC UK, said: “We designed Global Money to make spending overseas simple, quick, and straightforward for our customers.
“It helps customers avoid unexpected costs, and makes it easy to plan and stick to a holiday budget. Customers can manage their spending easily through the app, so they can spend more time enjoying their holiday.”
EasyJet has made a check-in change for 2026 that allows passengers to check-in for flights and drop off their bags the night before flying at eight UK airports.
The budget airline expanded its popular Twilight Bag Drop service to Birmingham Airport last month, benefiting passegers booked on early morning flights. The new service means Birmingham Airport passengers can avoid long check-in queues on the day of their departure and instead drop their bags off the evening before, free of charge. Passengers departing from Birmingham Aiport will also receive discounted parking for an hour in the airport’s Premium Set Down car park by presenting their bag drop baggage receipt when they exit. The service, which is also available to easyJet customers at seven other airports across the country, aims to save passengers valuable time on their journey through the airport on their departure day by skipping bag drop entirely and heading straight to security.
The free service is available to all passengers booked on early morning flights and bags can be dropped off from late afternoon to early evening, depending where you are flying from.
The expansion this year means easyJet passengers can now access the twilight service at eight major airports across the UK, which include London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and now Birmingham.
The service is also available at Berlin Airport and Amsterdam Schiphol in Europe, and is restricted to passengers who have early flight departures.
Kevin Doyle, easyJet’s UK Country Manager, said last month: “We are always looking for new ways to make travel as easy as possible, so we are really pleased to be introducing our free Twilight Bag Drop service for our customers flying from Birmingham Airport.
“As families head off on their next holiday or are planning one to look forward to, whether that’s hitting the slopes, soaking up some winter sun or a fun-filled half-term or Easter break, we remain focused on offering greater choice and exceptional value across our unrivalled short-haul network, always aiming to make travel easy.”
Passengers who have a flight departing in the morning from an airport that offers the twilight service can drop their bags off at the easyJet bag drop area during the specified hours.
Passengers simply need to check-in online, or via the easyJet mobile app, before arriving at the airport, and must bring along their passport and boarding passes.
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The easyJet service is available at the following UK airports during the specified hours below:
I visited one of the UK’s best cities with a 1000-year-old market – I wouldn’t return (Image: Getty)
I love visiting new areas in England, so when I saw a city popping up on my social media feed, I decided I needed to visit. St Albans is a historic cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, located about 20 miles north of London.
Today, it is known as an attractive and affluent commuter city, but its history stretches back nearly 2,000 years. Blending Roman ruins and medieval streets with modern shops, St Albans has developed into one of the most historically rich cities in southeast England. The origins of St Albans lie in the Roman city of Verulamium, founded in the 1st century AD and becoming one of the largest towns in Roman Britain.
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The city was an important centre for trade and government, complete with temples, baths and a theatre. Parts of the Roman walls and mosaics can still be seen today, particularly in and around Verulamium Park. The remains of this Roman settlement form a major part of the city’s identity and attract many visitors each year.
St Albans is named after St Alban, traditionally believed to be Britain’s first Christian martyr, who was executed for protecting a Christian priest. A shrine built in his honour later became St Albans Cathedral, which remains the city’s most famous landmark.
Today, it is a popular and prosperous city known for its history, green spaces and strong transport links to London.
I visited St Albans at the weekend and came away slightly underwhelmed. I had expected something a little more polished, given its reputation, but parts of the centre felt a bit tired.
The city has many shops (Image: Getty)
Some of the streets looked worn, and the uneven pavements made it less pleasant to wander around than I’d hoped.
It was also incredibly busy, which added to the sense of chaos rather than charm, and finding parking proved more difficult than anticipated. This may have been because it was market day.
I started my day off at The Ivy for breakfast, a real treat and a restaurant which I used to love. But it wasn’t anything special, with slow service and below-average food.
That said, other food options were a real highlight. I ate at Japes and had some genuinely delicious pizza, as well as stopping by Knoops for an indulgent hot chocolate.
When it comes to places to eat, drink and shop, the town certainly delivers, as does it on the history front.
It’s also hard to completely dismiss a town that has shops like Anthropologie, Oliver Bonas and Space NK, with that combination alone usually signalling a decent shopping destination. But, despite that, I’m not sure I’d rush back anytime soon.
Education
Abandoned village in Spain with incredible sea views on sale for £174k | Travel News | Travel
An empty village is on sale in Spain for a bargain price. The property was first listed at €200,000 (around £173,860) in 2021 but according to Idealista.com, the price has now been reduced to €150,000 (around £130,395).
The village, Candelago, is perched on the Costa da Morte and it’s home to stunning sea views. The price drop has sparked new interest from buyers. It’s not a surprise to see so many people interested in the village which comes with wild landscapes and beautiful walking routes.
Candelago is home to around ten traditional stone houses, hórreos (Galician granaries used to store and preserve food), and overgrown paths. The village has faced years of abandonment after it experienced a population decline since the 1970s.
The village is not in the middle of nowhere – just a few miles away is the village of Corme, a fishing hub that is home to the historic Rocundo Lighthouse and the Museum of Contemporary Art Costa da Morte.
Today, it has big potential for a buyer. The village is located in a prime location for enjoying its natural surroundings and it’s also close to the seaside.
For buyers, it’s an ideal place to renovate and redesign into a private retreat or tourist venture.
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But it’s not the only Spanish village that’s been in this position in recent years.
Across Spain, there have been multiple small areas which offer buyers a unique opportunity to invest in a whole village for redevelopment.
Often, these villages gain the attention of international buyers who are keen to get their hands on the historic land.
The villages have appealed to young people and to investors seeking sustainable, experiential tourism opportunities.
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