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Holidays abroad are cheaper than UK breaks, say half of British families
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Sta Cruz de Tenerife
Half of British families believe it’s cheaper to holiday abroad than in the UK, with only 14% saying they think that domestic holidays work out less expensive.
In a survey conducted by On the Beach, Tenerife came out as the favourite European beach destination for families, with 200 of the 1,000 questioned naming the Canary Island as their favourite.
Majorca came in second place with 18% of the vote, followed by the Costa del Sol with 13%.
The Algarve was named the fourth top beach destination for families, having been chosen by more than one in 10. Gran Canaria was in fifth place.
Other destination named favourites amongst British families include Cyprus (9%), Lanzarote (9%), Costa Blanca (8%) and Ibiza (8%).
Favourite European beach holiday destination for families:
1 Tenerife
2 Majorca
3 Costa Del Sol
4 Algarve
5 Gran Canaria
6 Cyprus and Lanzarote
7 Costa Blanca and Ibiza
8 Turkey
Despite the unusually warm spell in the UK this summer, the majority of British families (54%) say the main reason they prefer their annual beach summer holiday abroad is because of the guaranteed good weather, whilst 40% say they prefer to jet off to foreign shores because it’s good for their children to experience different cultures.
Asked to rank the main reasons they choose to holiday abroad, 39% say foreign beaches are better than those in the UK, whilst 34% believe a holiday in one of Europe’s beach resorts offers better value for money.
Other reasons British families choose to holiday abroad rather than in the UK include the variety of things to do and see (31%), better quality hotels (23%) and better service (15%).
On the Beach marketing director Alan Harding said: "Spain has been a hot spot for many years and our survey shows that overall, it remains the most popular destination for sun-seeking Brits.
"The high cost of hotels, train travel and domestic flights make a holiday in the UK extremely expensive, which is why so many of us prefer to head to Europe’s beaches for our week in the sun."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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