| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 03/07/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 24 |
| Copyright: Other |
Cottages market
Country Holidays sees fall in 14-night breaks
Report by TANYAJEFFERIES
COUNTRY Holidays claims a recent survey of the cottages market confirms the decline of long UK holidays and the strong upward trend in short breaks.The company reveals that its bookings of 14-night holidays are 14% down compared with last year, while bookings of two and three-night breaks are 42.5% up of this point last year.
Marketing director Nick Rudge said 1998 was the first year the British took more long holidays abroad than at home. He said the motivations were the strong pound and the good weather.
“The British market is going towards taking second holidays in the UK,” he said. “People are taking up to five holidays a year and we benefit from that.”
He added that the same trends were being reported by English Country Cottages and Blakes Holidays in Britain.
Country Holidays has revealed that customers have become more demanding about the quality of the cottages they book and want a home from home with modern conveniences. The top five most requested features are open fires, enclosed gardens, easy access, swimming pools and proximity to a pub.
Yorkshire is the most popular destination for people booking seven-night holidays and short breaks.
Devon and Cornwall are popular for longer holidays but they lose ground to the Peak District, the Lake District, the Welsh Borders and the Cotswolds when it comes to short breaks.