A survey of more than 2,000 UK residents has found that almost 60 per cent of Brits
plan to take their main holiday abroad this year, bucking last year’s ‘staycation’
trend.
According to new research from Lloyds TSB Added Value Accounts, a third of holidaymakers blamed the recent icy snap as their
main reason for wanting to go abroad this year, in search of warmth. But holidaying
in the UK still remains popular, with one in three Brits intending to stay in the UK
for short excursions.
Although a foreign holiday is more likely to be on the cards, holidaymakers are not
going too far afield, with over 60 per cent of Brits visiting Europe for a holiday
this year, making it the number one continent to visit for 2010, followed by America
(12 per cent), Africa (5 per cent) and Asia (4 per cent). Sun and beach are also the
number one priority for travellers this summer (45 per cent), with city breaks also
proving to be a popular choice (23 per cent). Only 5 per cent are planning a cruise
and only 3 per cent have opted for a safari or wildlife trip.
A third of those surveyed have already booked their main holiday for the year,
whilst a further 24 per cent are planning to book in the next few weeks. Almost 40
per cent of holidaymakers intend to pay for their holiday abroad on their debit
card, with one in three planning to use their credit card, surprisingly nearly a
quarter of travellers will pay in cash and only 2 per cent will pay by cheque.
Worryingly, nearly 60 per cent of those holidaymakers who have already booked their
vacation this year have not organised travel insurance, with almost half (42 per cent) claiming it was just something they
had yet to organise. An additional five per cent said it was too costly and two per
cent have not booked travel insurance in order to save money on their holiday.
Likewise, a shocking 3.6 million Brits admit that they always travel overseas
without travel insurance. One in five don’t think travel insurance is worth
concerning themselves with and a quarter admitted they simply didn’t even think
about it. Londoners and 18-24 year olds are the worst offenders for travelling
abroad without travel insurance, with 13 per cent and 14 per cent respectively,
never booking travel insurance.
These findings come despite one in ten Brits stating they have had an accident or
required medical support while overseas on holiday and missed out on the benefits.
Andrew Piggott at Lloyds TSB said: “With more people travelling abroad this year,
holidaymakers really need to make sure they have appropriate travel cover to stop
their holiday heaven from turning into a nightmare.
“Preparing for holidays can often be stressful and it is easy to forget or not have
the time to book travel insurance in advance. However, our Added Value Current
Account customers don’t have to buy travel cover as it automatically comes with
their current account.”
Lloyds TSB Added Value Current Accounts are incredibly popular with customers,
providing account holders with a wide range of useful benefits including car
breakdown cover, mobile phone insurance and comprehensive travel insurance, offered
by leading providers. Depending on the type of account you have you can get European
or worldwide insurance, insurance for just you, you and your partner or cover for
the whole family. And there are even accounts which offer winter sports cover.
New customers wanting to open an Added Value Current Account and existing customers
wanting to upgrade can visiting a branch, call 0845 3 000 000 or visit www.lloydstsb.com/benefits
Jasmine Harman’s top tips:
1. Packing: There is no need to over-pack with your holiday wardrobe. I once
travelled to Thailand for three weeks with only hand luggage. I filled it with
bikinis, sarongs, sun-dresses and a pair of high-heeled Red or Dead flip flops. The
key to clever packing is, don’t leave it until the last minute. Give yourself time
to work out different combinations so you can use the same outfit more than once. A
pretty summer frock can be dressed down with flip-flops and a bandana, or dressed up
with big jewellery and heels. Most importantly when you are heading to the airport,
don’t forget your passport!
2. Insurance – Before you leave, ensure that you have a comprehensive insurance
policy in place that will cover you should anything go wrong. Check that you are
covered if your luggage goes missing, you are injured or become ill whilst away, you
are robbed or you are planning to take part in activities such as water skiing,
scuba diving or snowboarding etc. Also check that you don’t already have travel
insurance as part of your current account, many package accounts come with worldwide
insurance so that can be a great saving.
3. Money: It seems fewer and fewer people are using travellers cheques these days,
although they can still be very useful if you are travelling for an extended period
or to a remote location. It seems cash machines can be easily found even in most
small villages, but beware – you are likely to be charged a percentage of your
withdrawal in fees. Check with your bank before you leave, as depending on their
policy and where you are travelling to, it may work out cheaper to take money out
when you get there than to pay commissions at a Currency exchange in the airport. The usual common sense rules apply; don’t carry large quantities of cash, conceal
money about your person in a few different places and use your hotel safe. It is
worth remembering that if cash is stolen, you will never retrieve it, but travellers
cheques can be replaced. It is very easy to overspend when you are having fun and
you get the opportunity to do something new and exciting, but don’t feel tempted to
spend all your local currency before you come home. It might feel like monopoly
money, but when you change it back you could probably spend it on something more
useful than 10 bars of Toblerone from the airport!
4. Safety – If I am travelling somewhere new or off the beaten track, I often check
the Foreign Office website (www.fco.gov.uk) for advice on tips on cultural practices
and areas to avoid. It offers an insight into the local practices and dangers and
may highlight issues that you were not aware of. Awareness is key; don’t do
anything stupid that you wouldn’t do at home, like get into a strangers car, or pick
up a hitch-hiker. Look out for each other and then you can relax and enjoy
yourself.
5. Beauty: I’m often guilty of taking too many cosmetics away with me (in my book,
you can never have too much sun cream!), but make up is something you definitely
don’t want to overdo on holidays. A smudge of cream blush, a slick of lip-gloss and
a touch of mascara should be all you need to enhance that holiday glow. If you can
apply it with your fingers you’ll be on the right lines. If you are on a beach
holiday, your hair will be naturally tousled and texturised. Don’t obsess over it
as holiday hair should be relaxed and easy. A messy quiff held in place with Kirby
grips or a couple of tiny plaits for a romantic maiden style will keep hair off your
face and look like you’ve made a bit of an effort.
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For more information contact Eve Speight, media relations
manager, Lloyds Banking Group: 020 7356 2162 / eve.speight@lloydstsb.co.uk
2022
