Many of us have happy memories of childhood holidays spent at the great British seaside.
During the golden age of the British holiday camp in the 50s and 60s, Butlin’s ruled the roost with all-inclusive resorts in popular seaside spots like Blackpool, Brighton, and Great Yarmouth.
Beyond 2p machines and crabbing, the English coastline has even inspired some of the greatest novels of all time, including Brighton Rock by Graham Greene, Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None and Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.
But as international travel became more affordable to working-class Brits from the 1970s, seaside resorts suffered.
However, more families are now returning to the British coast as the rising cost of living makes foreign travel inaccessible.
It comes as data shows that family holiday costs have risen by 4.2 per cent year-on-year and Google searches for ‘cheap family holiday’ increased by 60 per cent in the last year.
The research was commissioned by global travel booking site, Omio, based on a survey of 2,000 Brits.
The survey fond that almost half of Brits spent more than £3,000 on their most recent family holiday with 60 per cent stating this was more expensive than similar holidays they’ve taken in recent years.
Rain or shine, the British seaside is beloved by many holidaymakers
While Disneyland is on a quarter of Brits’ bucket lists, early half (46 per cent) of families are now considering UK holiday destinations such as Cornwall, due to affordability
Some 67 per cent of Brits have relied on some form of credit to pay for their holiday, with the most common payment method being a credit card, followed by ‘buy now, pay later’ methods.
Debt advice charities like Stepchange and Citizens Advice reportedly both saw the number of debt clients reach a record level in January 2025 as people battle the rising costs of living.
The survey also found that almost three-quarters of Brits are having to make daily sacrifices to save enough for their holidays.
While Disneyland is on a quarter of Brits’ bucket lists, nearly half (46 per cent) of families are now considering UK holiday destinations such as Cornwall, due to affordability.
Almost 20 per cent plan to holiday exclusively in the UK from now on.
For those able to make it outside of the UK, destinations much closer to home, where flight costs are lower, become the most attainable option, with 40 per cent of Brits considering holidays in Spain.
But it’s not all doom and gloom.
British holiday giant Parkdean Resorts, which operates 65 parks across the UK, is set to receive a £50 million makeover.
The park, known for its family-friendly entertainment, saw 3 million visitors last year.
Fancy a donkey ride? Almost 20 per cent of Brits said they are planning to holiday exclusively in the UK from now on
Two parks in particular – Highfield Grange Holiday Park in Essex and Vauxhall Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth – are set to receive ‘major transformations’ of £5 million each.
Brand new facilities will launch at the two resorts, including immersive Bear Grylls escape rooms. Indoor adventure golf is also on the cards, as well as improved high and low ropes.
Also hoping to attract more UK holidaymakers, in the spirit of the Black Friday sales, Butlin’s is currently offering several deals in their ‘Red Friday Event’.
With three locations to choose from – Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness – those looking for a break will be able to enjoy a seaside trip for a bargain price.
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One in five families to holiday in the UK next year due to rising costs – and many fall into debt to afford a trip
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