Thought of the Week
From stress to serenity, how important are holidays for Brits?
April 17, 2025 4 Minute Read
Despite continued increases in the cost of living, the UK population is not willing to sacrifice their holidays. 84% of Brits take a holiday each year, with the number of annual breaks reaching a record high of 3.94 per person.
The economic uncertainty caused by inflation is a concern, with 70% of respondents to our 2025 Consumer Survey experiencing increased regular outgoings in 2024. However, this is not deterring people from taking holidays, with around 35% planning to use their savings to fund their trips.
Holidays are an essential spend for 96% of Brits, with the average cost being £3,051.90. This year, 35% of people plan on spend even more on their holidays.
The most popular types of holidays are beach holidays, city breaks, and countryside breaks, with domestic holidays preferred over abroad, except for cruises and resorts. When it comes to domestic holidays, mid-range and budget hotels are the top choices, followed by camping/holiday parks. The South West remains the most popular destination in the UK, accounting for 18% of trips in 2024, followed by London (13%) and Scotland (12%).
Figure 1: Domestic holidays taken in 2024 and domestic holidays planned in 2025
A survey by EasyJet found that four in five Brits want to explore new countries this year, with Spain, France, and Greece being the most visited holiday destinations. On average, Brits spend 8.7 days on holidays abroad, which tend to be more luxurious, with a preference for all-inclusive hotel complexes and cruises.
Figure 2: Abroad holidays taken in 2024 and abroad holidays planned in 2025
The benefits of time off are well-documented, with “a larger number of vacations leading to a decline in the psychological distress of people” (American Sociological Association). However, many employees struggle to take full advantage of their leave, with nearly 60% of Brits citing high workloads as a key factor.
However, social media has been playing a significant role in inspiring (and influencing) travel decisions, with 75% of people admitting to being inspired by social media to travel to a specific destination. Younger generations are particularly influenced by social media, with almost 50% of Gen-Z and Millennial respondents being inspired to travel to a destination because of Instagram, and 30% because of TikTok.
Overall, despite increased cost of living and financial constraints, people want to relax and disconnect, and Brits will continue to prioritise their holidays due to an increase of conscientisation for the importance of a healthy work-life balance.
