Families will spend an average of £478.25 on a short break and four day trips this Easter, according to a new study.
More than a third (35%) of British households will take a UK short break this Easter – spending an average of £321.53 on the trip.
The study of 2,500 parents by Travelodge revealed that four out of ten viewed a ‘staycation’ as a good value option in helping to keep children entertained this Easter, due to the high cost of holidaying abroad in the school holidays.
Of those taking a short break, 37% are taking a traditional British seaside holiday this Easter. More than a quarter (26%) of parents will take a break in a UK city and 14% are planning to spend quality time together exploring the great British countryside by taking a rural break.
In addition to a short Easter break, parents will be taking their children on four day trips – which is an average of one more than last year.
The average day out will cost £39.18, meaning an average spend of £156.72 in total. A quarter of parents (24%) plan to take their children to a museum. Around a fifth (18%) of families will be visiting a working farm this Easter. Just one in ten families are planning a trip to an art gallery (10%) or a theme park (9%).
Over half (55%) of parents surveyed felt it is important for them to teach their children that the UK is a great holiday destination so that they could appreciate their country and gain a better understanding of its heritage and history.
Over a third of families (36%) will be taking a day trip to visit family this Easter and one in ten grandparents (10%) plan to take their grandchildren away on a UK break this Easter.
A Travelodge spokeswoman said: “Keeping the children entertained over the Easter school holidays is no easy task, and this year parents are certainly investing in an Easter Staycation short break, as we have seen a double digit increase in sales.
“Our data shows a new trend, with savvy parents forgoing a traditional two night stay in one location for a single night stay in two different areas.
“For example, we have seen families book a one night stay in Blackpool and then a one night stay in either Liverpool for a city break, or in the Lake District to see the countryside.
“A multi-location short break is a great way to see more of the UK within one trip as it offers great value and makes children think they have had a longer holiday.”
Top 20 staycation destinations this Easter:
1 Blackpool
2 London
3 Birmingham
4 Cornwall
5 Brighton
6 Cardiff
7 Devon
8 Bath
9 Edinburgh
10 Lake District
11 North Wales
12 South Wales
13 Liverpool
14 Bristol
15 Norfolk Broads
16 Scarborough
17 Newcastle
18 Great Yarmouth
19 Bournemouth
20 Clacton on Sea
Top ten locations where families are spending above the national average over the Easter holidays:
Locations | Average spend on staycations and day trips during the Easter Holidays
Nottingham £526.93
Wolverhampton £520.64
Manchester £518.59
London £508.82
Chelmsford £504.79
Norwich £502.24
Coventry £496.93
Brighton £495.25
Bristol £494.46
Liverpool £488.35