Edinburgh tops Easter travel list as more Brits stay home for 2009 ’staycation’

London, March 2009 – 2009 is set to be another bumper year for the ‘Staycation’ with more and more people looking to spend their summer holidays in the UK this year. That’s according to Kelkoo.co.uk which has seen a 12% year on year increase in searches for UK holidays.

Taken from traffic patterns since Christmas, the top three UK destinations are Edinburgh, The Peak District and Cornwall, with high demand for Scottish Skiing holidays throughout February as a result of heavy snowfall across the UK. There has also been a notable increase in demand for traditional fully catered holidays including Centre Parcs, Pontins and Butlins as Brits look to control their holiday spend.

Outside of the UK, traditional countries like Portugal and Spain have been popular, with money-conscious Brits looking for the peace of mind offered by all-inclusive holidays. The strength of the Euro against the pound has also seen another increase in demand for holidays in Turkey whilst New York has seen a marked drop in demand compared to twelve months ago.

Bruce Fair, MD of Kelkoo.co.uk said of results: “2009 definitely looks like another year for holidaying in the UK. This should be good news for many local businesses and the weaker pound should also mean more overseas tourists for many areas. Edinburgh is looking like the most popular UK destination whilst there has been a real resurgence in demand for resorts like Centre Parcs, Pontins and Butlins.”

“The recession and the falling value of the pound are definitely influencing people’s holidaying decisions, which can be seen in the rise in popularity with countries like Turkey. Holidaying in the UK makes it easier for Brits to budget in advance and avoid nasty surprises when it comes to the smaller purchases like food and drink.”