As the media keep telling us, the domestic UK travel market is bracing itself.
Visitor numbers are tipped to be some of the highest in years when the country reopens, and it’s all hardly surprising. Firstly, international restrictions mean that a UK trip is far simpler to plan at the moment and secondly, a lot of people have started to fall in love with their home country again following months of lockdowns.
Following on from the above, a UK getaway is utterly fashionable in 2021. In today’s article, we will take a look at some of the best rules you can abide by if you want to get the very most from your domestic trip.
Rule #1 – Plan for the weather
Sure, there are all sorts of jokes about the UK weather – and we’ve all been around long enough to hear them. Granted, some jokes might take the situation to extremes, but one thing that nobody can get away from is that the weather certainly isn’t consistent. It’s not something that you can plan around and as such, if you are making plans for your next UK getaway, make sure there are plenty of backup plans as well.
Rule #2 – Plan for something a bit different
Everybody has their list of go-to destinations, and to coin one example, London tends to top this list.
However, now might be the time to plan something a bit different. For example, if London is typically your destination of choice, try flipping things on their head and opting for somewhere like North Wales instead.
In other words, swap the city for the country and vice-versa. While it might not have the weather (see the previous point), one thing that the UK does have in abundance is variation – and this is something you should take full advantage of.
Rule #3 – Plan for the traffic
If you’re planning a trip to anywhere that is remotely popular, you will most definitely have to contend with traffic. Granted, it is worse in certain areas, but one of the worst things you can do (particularly if you are planning a shorter trip) is not to consider rush hours.
Let’s also look at traffic from a non-vehicle perspective. The events of the last twelve months have prompted changing travel habits, and this means that higher visitor numbers are expected in popular areas. Again, take this into account, whether it’s by purchasing tickets in advance or planning more time to avoid the in-person queues.
Rule #4 – Plan for school holidays
Regardless of whether or not you’re a parent, make sure you plan for the school holidays.
Not only do they send visitor numbers soaring, but the costs also follow. In short, this is a hugely expensive time to travel in the UK, and if you do happen to have your heart set on one of the elusive school holiday weeks, at least try and abide by some shrewd tactics.