A Staycation Under New Guidelines
Can travel behaviours change?
Under grey skies in Cornwall sits the small village of Boscastle. A tranquil stream winds alongside national trust shops and cafes. The village leads out to an ancient harbour and scenic trails along magnificent cliff sides. A family has arrived early to beat the crowds. This might be a typical scene in staycation Britain — until you overhear a fuss. “Where are the face masks, Paul?”
After months at home, some travellers are eager to set out for the UKs finest beaches and AONBs. A YouGov poll suggests that only 37% of Britons intend to holiday this year. Of those that do, the majority will holiday in the UK — far more than a pre-covid study suggests.
A shorter domestic journey may look appealing alongside inconsistent foreign office advice and doubts over plane travel. Stories of locals too frightened to shop in their own towns for fears of overcrowding confirm that many are descending on scenic parts of the country.
For some, the burden of stifling face coverings and restaurant contact registers may be enough to overweigh the draw of sea air and quaint villages. On their own, the guidelines may not be too much to ask. Collectively, they form a complex checklist on top of other travel precautions. As with anything that should be simple, it does come with…
