Air travel has taken a huge hit in many ways since the Iran war first kicked off back in February.
Since the conflict began in the Middle East, thousands of flights have been grounded, airlines have cut two million seats from May’s schedules within the past two weeks, and experts have warned the current jet fuel shortage might put an end to numerous summer holiday plans.
But this pattern has been experienced before.
When the country went into lockdown due to the pandemic back in 2020, flight numbers plummeted as the world grappled with the spread of Covid-19.
Now, AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes has declared the jet fuel crisis caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as bigger than the chaos that ensued for air travel during the pandemic.
‘I thought I’d seen it all with Covid . . . but having seen jet fuel go up almost three times — this is much worse,’ he told the Financial Times.
‘You wake up one day and your major cost has tripled — it was quite a new experience for me and I’ve been through a lot in my life.’
And, just like what happened in 2020 and 2021, during the pandemic, when the UK slowly opened back up, UK holidays companies have confirmed many are turning to breaks closer to home this summer rather than risking the uncertainties of air travel.
AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes has declared the jet fuel crisis caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as bigger than the chaos that ensued for air travel during the pandemic
But this led to a huge jump in prices in the pandemic, as the costs of UK holidays surged by up to 100 per cent with some Brits being charged more than £1,000 for a short break – something that’s likely to happen again.
Petrol is also now at its most expensive level for Britain’s retailers to buy since the Iran war began – and a further hike in wholesale fuel prices could be passed onto motorists, driving the cost of UK holidays up.
Rises in pump prices since the conflict in the Middle East started on February 28 have seen drivers pay an additional £500million for petrol and £1.5billion for diesel.
Butlin’s has seen ‘significant growth in demand for staycations driven by the conflict’ with May Half Term and summer school holiday bookings up over 20 per cent year-on-year last week.
Bookings for the holiday park’s adult-only Big Weekender breaks were also up over 20 per cent last week year-on-year.
Jon Hendry Pickup, CEO of Butlin’s, tells the Daily Mail: ‘It does feel that there’s been a significant growth in demand for staycations driven by the conflict.
‘We were at full capacity across our three resorts for the Easter break. Late demand was up significantly which suggests that guests were holding off booking overseas holidays, perhaps hoping for a swift resolution, before ultimately deciding to stay in the UK.
‘Looking ahead, demand for our upcoming off-peak breaks is up nearly 40 per cent year on year. And it’s not just families who are now choosing staycations over international travel, bookings for our adult only Big Weekenders with live music and entertainment were up 20 per cent relative to last year.’
The Iran War has sparked a fuel crisis that could see Cornwall enjoy its biggest staycation season since the pandemic, with struggling business owners saying tourists are needed more than ever
UK holiday specialist Together Travel has also ‘seen a noticeable increase’ and puts it down to people seeking ‘reassurance, flexibility and reliability’.
Managing director Laura Dubois explains: ‘We’ve definitely seen a noticeable increase in demand for UK breaks since international travel disruption began escalating earlier this year.
‘There’s a clear sense that travellers are looking for reassurance, flexibility and reliability when planning holidays, and that naturally brings many people back to domestic destinations.
‘Whilst we cannot promise sunshine every day, in the UK we are blessed with a dramatic, and beautiful coastline alongside many incredible rural escapes that offer a viable alternative to foreign travel.’
She adds that there has been ‘many similarities to trends we experienced during the pandemic from the domestic market’ in booking behaviour.
As for where people are heading this summer, the holiday company says inbound international guests are exploring ‘off the beaten track to locations such as the Outer Hebrides and Scottish Highlands’.
‘During Covid, we saw a huge surge in demand for coastal and countryside escapes as people prioritised space, nature and ease of travel, and that continues to be a priority for our guests,’ Dubois continues.
The Yorkshire Dales, Lakes and ‘prime coastal resorts in North Wales, Norfolk and across the South West’ are spots that are seeing the strongest demand, according to Together Travel.
The Yorkshire Dales, pictured, is one of the spots across the UK seeing the highest staycation demand at the moment, according to UK retreat specialist Together Travel
‘During the pandemic, destinations such as Cornwall were consistently among the most popular areas across the UK staycation market, and consumer appetite for those types of breaks remains very strong,’ Dubois adds.
Ambleside, in the Lakes, was the most popular location for school summer holidays in 2021, according to Sykes Staycation Index at the time.
Coastal areas like Whitby and Salcombe also made the top five, as well as Troutbeck Bridge in the Lake District and Weymouth.
Meanwhile, Kalindi Juneja CEO of PoB Hotels notes: ‘While this is not on the scale of the pandemic, we are certainly seeing travellers reconsider overseas plans and look closer to home amidst ongoing disruption and uncertainty around international travel.
‘The UK is incredibly well positioned for this, with everything from coastal escapes in Cornwall, Devon and Jersey to relaxing countryside breaks in the Cotswolds and Scotland all seeing strong interest.’
Juneja adds: ‘We are also continuing to see a trend towards shorter, more frequent luxury breaks, with many bookings coming later as travellers keep an eye on global events.
‘Overall, the summer outlook across PoB Hotels remains positive, particularly for distinctive independent hotels able to offer personalised experiences and a real sense of place.’
