Article by David Collins
With the credit crunch in full swing, affecting everything from our bank accounts to the vehicles we use everyday, many of us have this year cut back on luxuries and travel in order to save money to survive.
Indeed, according to the Office of National Statistics, more than one million Britons chose to stay local this summer, rather than shell out to travel abroad for a holiday.
Sales of holidays will no doubt have dwindled over the summer period, as more of us look to save money in order to pay the mortgage, clear the credit card debt and have enough left over to afford the weekly shop and keep the car running.
Figures have shown that the travel industry had a good start in 2008; with many of us taking advantage of late deals in order to get away for a week or two. However, the economic slowdown has had an effect on our spending habits when it comes to travel.
With falling conversion rates meaning that were not getting as much holiday money as we were once able to, particularly when travelling to Europe, many of us are choosing to shun expensive travel and holiday a little more locally. As a result, many UK destinations have seen a steady increase in visitor numbers over the summer months as many of us seek out cheap holidays that are more local to us.
Indeed, holiday parks, day trips and UK city breaks saw an increase in sales this year as more of us seek to take advantage of the sights available in our local areas. Some are even utilising services such as the CouchSurfing Project to participate in house exchange holidays as an alternative to expensive hotels and bustling resorts.
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