The South West of England has seen a boom in staycations this summer – and autumn will bring more of the same.
Visitors to the region may not be able to enjoy summer festivals and the Cornish surfing beaches will be a rather colder prospect, but figures from St Austell Brewery have indicated that the region is set to remain popular with holidaymakers even as the weather turns and the leaves start to fall, Business Live reports.
It said hotel bookings were well up on autumn 2019, the last ‘normal’ year.
Just as hotels will be busy, the caravan parks can also expect plenty of business in the season, as will trailer towing services.
Chief executive of At Austell Brewery Kevin Georgel said the popularity of the region is not just down to the fact that the UK is a ‘safe’ option at a time when overseas destinations are subject to curbs and risks.
“We also believe a re-discovery of the delights and adventure that the West Country has to offer, from beautiful coastlines to fantastic locally sourced food and drink, is driving the trend,” he added.
The ongoing popularity of staycations may also last through the autumn at the opposite end of the country.
According to the recently-published Sykes Holiday Cottages Scotland Staycation Index, three quarters of Scots and one third of all Britons plan a holiday in Scotland in 2021.
The favourite location to visit in Scotland this autumn is Southerness in Dumfries and Galloway, which offers sea views across the Solway Firth to Cumbria and the Lake District mountains. The second and third most popular respectively are the villages of Newtonmore and Grantown-on-Spey, both of which are located in the Cairngorms National Park.
Overall, the Dumfries and Galloway region is second to the Highlands as a place to spend an autumn break.