One in four UK adults travels overseas less often, spends less when they do and travels more cheaply than two to three years ago, according to research.
Almost as many travel less far and say they get less for their money.
More encouragingly, more than half report no real change in their behaviour. However, two out of five expect to have less money to spend on overseas travel over the next 12 months.
Explore Research asked 500 UK adults whether their travel behaviour had changed over the past two to three years other than for personal reasons.
It found 23% travelled overseas less often, double the rate who travelled more; 21% spent less, against 12% who spent more; and 19% travelled “more cheaply” – three times the proportion who went “in more style”.
The same proportion (19%) said they got less for their money, compared with 13% who felt they got more, and 17% said they travel less far against 9% who went further afield.
The sharpest variation by age was among those saying they travel more cheaply, with 30% of 18-34-year-olds reporting they did so against 12% of the over 55s.
Only 3% felt they would have significantly more to spend on travel in the coming 12 months and 20% a little more, against 16% who said they would have significantly less and 26% a little less – meaning 42% expect to reduce their travel spending.
Younger adults were least likely to anticipate having less money (36%), against 41% who expected to have at least a little more.
Those aged 35-54 were least optimistic, with 46% expecting to spend less on going away against 19% believing they would spend more. Just 13% of adults aged 55 and above expected to spend more, none of them “significantly”.
Perhaps surprisingly, expectations that spending would fall were broadly similar regardless of income.
The survey was carried out over the weekend of June 9-10.