Beach holidays were the top preference among holidaymakers intending to go abroad this year, followed by family holidays and city breaks, according to research by Mintel, the same order of preference as in 2010.
However, the proportions intending to take these types of holiday were down by a significant margin on the percentage of holidaymakers who actually took these kinds of holidays last year, suggesting a decline in intention to travel in 2011.
In fact, the proportions intending to take a holiday were down year on year for almost every type of trip made by the 2,000 respondents in 2010. A third (33%) planned to take a beach holiday this year compared with 45% who took one last year, 28% planned a family holiday compared with 36% who took one in 2010, and 27% intended to take a city break compared with 32% who went on one last year.
The proportion intending to book an all-inclusive holiday this year was 14%, compared with 17% who did so in 2010.
A gap between people’s intentions and actions is far from unusual, but this normally works in the opposite direction, with people more likely to express an intention they do not fulfil. As one respondent in the 16-24 age range told researchers: “My friends often talk about going on holiday abroad together but when it comes down to it hardly anyone can afford it.”
However, Mintel notes: “Having taken a particular type of holiday in 2010 makes planning the same sort of holiday for 2011 more likely.”
This is reflected in a study of holiday intentions, which found: 78% of beach holidaymakers in 2010 planned a similar trip this year, as did 70% of those who took a city break, 66% of family holidaymakers and 59% of all-inclusive customers.
