Staycation surge causes rise in price of seaside holiday lets
The surge in holidaymakers choosing to stay on the UK seaside for the holidays this year has caused a rise in the cost of accommodation by an average of 35% compared to 2020.
According to the latest study by Which?, prices rose in 10 of the UK’s most visited destinations including St Ives, Whitby, Lladudno and Brighton.
Researchers from Which? looked at prices for a total of 15 properties on accommodation booking platforms Airbnb and Vrbo.
Prices in Brighton increased from £53 per night to £127 per night, marking a 140% jump since last year.
Staycations are becoming highly popular among UK citizens as government lockdown restrictions will allow people in England to stay in self-contained accommodation such as holiday lets from 12 April.
Foreign holidays could be permitted from 17 May but are likely to involve restrictions and conditions such as testing for coronavirus and self-isolation periods.
Which? also encouraged consumers considering booking a staycation to choose an accommodation provider that has committed to offering full cash refunds or free rebooking if a trip cannot go ahead due to coronavirus.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: "Many holidaymakers are looking forward to finally going to the seaside this summer, so it's perhaps not a surprise that high demand has seen prices for some destinations shoot up too.
"If people are prepared to pay more for their summer holidays this year, it's essential that they know their money will be protected or returned to them without hassle in the event they cannot travel as planned.”