More families are taking winter breaks this year
With the economy slowly starting to pick up an increasing numbers of families are starting to take Christmas and winter breaks again. Getting away for a few days over Christmas avoids all the hassle of cooking during the holiday season while a break in early January makes a great alternative to being stuck at home with the post Christmas blues. While more of us are now taking winter breaks a survey conducted for HomeAway in America shows that tourists are still keen to avoid spending unnecessary amounts of hard earned money on a break.
Almost a third of those flying on their winter break admitted to packing less to avoid luggage fees imposed by airlines while almost the same number (30%) said that they choose a different airline each time they fly to make sure they get the best deal.
25% of travellers have realised that flying does not always represent the best value for money and prefer to drive to their destination instead of flying when that is possible.
Accommodation is the biggest problem for holiday breaks
The survey considered holiday accommodation alongside methods of travel.
Often those who travel during the holiday season are going to visit friends or family. The survey found that 36% of travellers like staying with their family during their break although for many this was a less than ideal solution. 29% said that they did not enjoy the lack of personal space while staying with family while others cited uncomfortable sleeping quarters as the biggest problem they experienced.
Staying in a relatives family home can work well for some people but for many families it simply adds to the stress of the holiday season. 5% of those surveyed even said that for them the worst part of the experience was spending time with their relatives while 2% complained about the noise they had to endure at a relatives home.
If staying with relatives is not a good option for your family there are other possibilities open to you. The survey looked at travellers experiences with various types of accommodation. Hotels were an obvious choice for many but visitors complained about the need to pay extra for many facilities and also about the expenses associated with taking a family to a hotel.
Togetherness doesn’t cost extra with holiday rentals
One of the clearest results to come out of the survey was that while families are unhappy about the fees imposed by hotels for services including mini-bars and parking many travellers are still happy to pay extra for some conveniences that are important to them. Conveniences which visitors rated highly and were prepared to pay extra for included:
- Roomier accommodation
- Access to a kitchen
- Laundry facilities
Nearly 20% of those questioned said that they preferred to stay in a holiday rental apartment or property instead of a hotel. With a holiday rental all of these extra facilities were already included as standard whereas with a hotel families need to pay extra.
The other benefit which was noted concerning holiday rentals was that families were able to stay together under one roof instead of being scattered around a hotel. With a holiday rental there is access to a kitchen laundry facilities and more bedrooms without the inconvenience and any excess expense.
Wherever you choose to stay this holiday season make sure you choose the option which is right for you and enjoy a stress-free Christmas and new year.
