No room at the hostel

Brits looking for a last-minute holiday this summer might be out of luck after new research found that on average 90% of holiday accommodation in UK hotspots has already been booked.

Although travel restrictions have been relaxed in recent weeks for holidays abroad, the lion’s share (86%) of holidaymakers say they will still refrain from going abroad this summer.

The nervousness and unpredictability of international travel has led to an increase in domestic bookings, with the most popular destinations now almost fully booked.

Hotel booking platform Hoo analyzed the availability of vacation accommodation for a family of four at 12 popular vacation destinations throughout August and found that on average 90% of the stock was already full.

Research also found that the average room price per night was as high as £ 355 for the accommodation that remained available, but reached £ 466 in the Sandbanks in Poole.

Devon and Cornwall were arguably the most in-demand as research found there was already no accommodation available in Salcombe for a week in August, while in Padstow 99% of holiday accommodation had already been booked.

Aldeburgh, Suffolk, also ranked among the most popular coastal destinations with 98% of accommodation already taken, while the Isle of Wight (95%) and popular rural areas such as Portmeirion (94%), Snowdonia (93%)), the Lake District (88 percent) and the Peak District (88 percent) were also set to sell for the summer.

Hoo co-founder Adrian Murdock commented: “It has been a tough adventure for the UK tourism industry and another summer of uncertainty may be looming. On the face of it, popular UK destinations are seeing unprecedented demand, especially given the devastation caused last year by Covid restrictions.

“However, with the flexible booking terms being so generous right now, there could be a late increase in cancellations on the horizon as businesses lose vital revenue.

“Fingers crossed, that doesn’t happen. It’s hard to blame vacationers who are lucky enough to be able to cover their bets, but there will likely be some losers this summer – whether it’s tourism providers or those who are unable to find accommodation, missing out on a much needed vacation in the summer. result. “

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