According to a new report by London-based BDRC Continental, safety is “at the forefront of Britons’ minds” when planning holidays in 2017, with a majority expecting “some negative impact” in EU travel in the wake of on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
However, the study found nine out of 10 Britons are “seriously considering” a holiday in 2017, “with an anticipated increase in longer holidays abroad and in the UK,” 77 percent looking to take a break of four nights or more.
Three out of five respondents (61 percent) said they are planning an overseas holiday of four or more nights, three percentage points up on a year ago, and 50 percent an overseas short break.
The anticipated increase in holiday demand comes despite the fact that almost half the respondents (48 percent) expressed concern about the UK economy and 15 percent being “very concerned.” Still, BDRC noted, “80 percent expect to spend more or the same on their holidays” as in 2016.
Even so, the report indicated that 77 of survey respondents viewed safety as “a consideration” and 40 percent “a strong consideration,” prompting BDRC Continental to conclude: “Safety concerns remain at the forefront of Britons’ minds when planning their holidays.” Other findings from the survey include the following:
- Istanbul rated “the least safe city destination.”
- More than half (55 percent) of respondents rated Istanbul unsafe and two-thirds (67%) of these “would not go regardless of price.”
- Paris was rated unsafe by 27 percent, Berlin by 20 percent and London by 10 percent.
- Just 13 percent judged Istanbul to be “fairly safe,” compared with 23 percent a year ago, and only 1 percent anticipated taking a holiday in Turkey this year compared with 4 percent in a survey last January.
- Fewer than two in five (37 percent) perceived Paris as safe, the same proportion as a year ago,
- However, the survey found a year-on-year drop-off of four percentage points to 12 percent in Britons intending to take a short break in France.
- UK adults expect “at least some disruption to their EU holiday behavior as a result of Brexit.”
- 43 percent expect less favorable exchange rates–a recognition of what has already happened since the Brexit vote.
- 36 percent anticipate “more expensive air travel,” although average air fares within Europe have fallen and are forecast to continue to fall.
- 36 percent also anticipate a future need for visas when traveling to EU countries.
- 31 percent expect longer passport queues at airports
- 13 percent expect no changes as a result of Brexit, with the findings leading BDRC to state, “A ‘hard’ Brexit may drive holidaymakers to holiday in the UK.”
Note: For its report, BDRC Continental interviewed 1,006 UK adults online in the first two weeks of January.
