— by Grant Bailey
The average Brit books their next holiday just 37 days after arriving home from their previous one, a study has found.
Researchers discovered the yearning to escape once again first kicks in around 17 days arriving back in the UK.
But it takes just under another three weeks following that before a final decision is made and a deposit is paid for the next foreign jaunt.
The study also found although most Brits enjoy four holidays a year – going abroad once and taking three staycations in the UK – they’d prefer to get away as many as eight times a year in an ideal world.
However, according to a poll of 2,000 adults by the UK’s largest coach operator, National Express, money, demands at home and work pressures are the top barriers stopping us from indulging our desires to travel the globe..
It also emerged one in 10 Brits have gone longer than five years without a holiday, while a more fortunate 15 per cent have never gone more than six months without booking a trip away.
Vinay Parmar, Customer Experience Director at National Express, said: “Our poll reveals that fifty nine per cent of Brits say financial limitations are a barrier to their escapism while one in 10 said they often struggle to decide where they want to travel to.
“With services to hundreds of locations, coach travel can help with smaller trips in the UK as well as getting to the airport to jet away.”
Additionally one third of those polled said responsibilities at home or work hold them back from booking a trip and almost a tenth of the population say they feel guilty for treating themselves to a trip away when there are other things to pay for.
Seven per cent said deciding who to go away with stops them from booking a holiday.
Unsurprisingly, work is the top thing Brits want to get away from when booking a holiday, while 25 per cent look forward to a break from cleaning.
A further 34 per cent said they are happiest about leaving the British weather behind, and one in 20 can’t wait to be far away from their boss.
Some of the signs Brits need an escape include feeling a constant level of exhaustion, getting envious of others’ holiday pictures and becoming more antisocial.
One in four said they know they need a getaway when they find themselves tuning in to travel programmes on TV.
The average Brit takes more than seven day trips a year and 64 per cent consider themselves well-travelled.
Food and drink plays a big part in holidays with having someone else cook, getting to eat out all the time and enjoying a cocktail with lunch all named as some of the best parts about being on holiday.
Vinay Parmar added: “Experts tell us holidays and travel are important to our wellbeing.
“A break from the daily routine doesn’t have to involve a whole week off work or a long-haul flight. There are countless options in the UK to explore the UK and coach is a convenient and affordable way to get there.”
TOP SIGNS YOU NEED A HOLIDAY:
Feeling exhausted all the time
Starting to feel the grind of your daily routine
Getting frustrated at little or trivial things
The weather starts to get you down
Getting tired of the view from your home or workplace
Feeling moody, down and otherwise quite negative about life
Finding yourself reminiscing about past holidays
Finding yourself checking out holiday deals and watching travel programs
Feeling envious of friends’ and family’s holiday pics on social media
Becoming antisocial and staying in
ENDS
