Travellers 'are cutting back in order to get that summer holiday'
12 March 2010 18:04
With the terrible weather we've had in the UK over the past few months and the economic woes before that, it's perhaps no surprise that Brits are pretty desperate to get away.
A new survey by Aviva has found that 64 per cent of people intend to take a break abroad this year - and they are making sure of it by cutting back on a few things.
Some 62 per cent said they would be setting a limit on how much they could afford to spend per day, while 31 per cent said they hope to get hold of a cheap last-minute deal.
And you may see a lot of swimwear that is oh-so last season on the world's beaches, as 45 per cent said they would not be treating themselves to any new holiday clothes in 2010.
However, the Post Office has uncovered an interesting new trend in the form of 'switch-shopping'.
To debunk the fancy title a little, this simply means that holidaymakers are swapping their usual destinations for cheaper ones in order to save cash but still get the same amount of time away, and sometimes even longer.
It works though - the Post Office said you could swap ten days in the Maldives for a fortnight in Thailand and save yourself £530 per person, while going to Florida for two weeks costs the same as it would to go to Mexico for ten.
"Despite financial pressures it seems holidays are not something that people are willing to give up," said the firm's Sarah Munro.
While we're all for a little clever booking, the Arriva research highlighted some scrimping and saving that we definitely wouldn't advocate.
Apparently, 31 per cent of travellers said they might not bother with travel insurance cover this year as part of a drive to cut costs.
Spokesperson Jerry Finch took the words out of our mouth, by commenting that doing this is a false economy.
"Remember accidents and illnesses do happen on holiday and you could end up footing an expensive medical bill if you haven't taken out travel insurance," he warned.
Sarah Munro agreed, adding: "We're urging people not to cut corners on their travel essentials. Always make sure you exchange enough travel money before you go in order to get the best rates and don't scrimp on travel insurance."
We couldn't have put it better ourselves, so with this excellent advice ringing in your ears, why not check out our website and avoid becoming a statistic this holiday season?
Published by World First Travel Insurance - providers of worldwide travel insurance for all types of holiday, cheap annual travel insurance and great family travel insurance. Get in touch for a competitive travel insurance quote today.
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