RESEARCH
STAYCATIONS 56 DEGREE INSIGHT
STAYCATION TREND ‘TO CONTINUE INTO 2021’ NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT THE STAYCATION TREND THAT HAS EMERGED THIS YEAR IS SET TO
B
CARRY ON INTO 2021 – BRINGING WITH IT MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL RETAILERS.
rand new research undertaken at the end of August by Edinburgh-based 56 Degree Insight has revealed that 60% of those interviewed have already ruled out a foreign holiday in 2021, presenting a wealth of new opportunities for local retailers as consumers remain committed to the staycation trend. The survey is purely a Scottish one but has implications for the whole of the UK. Launched in May and canvassing more than 2,000 people, the Scottish Tourism Index was carried out in four separate waves in an attempt to get a handle on how people feel about travel generally and to monitor the tourism and leisure desires and concerns of the Scottish population. In this fourth and final wave, undertaken in the last week of August, the Index was able to examine the nature of the holidays taken by Scots in Scotland in July and August – as well as making more robust predictions about the rest of this year. Some key findings have emerged:
1 PEOPLE ARE STILL FEELING A SENSE OF NERVOUSNESS ABOUT TRAVEL GENERALLY: Q Nervousness around travel is still considerable with destinations outside Scotland ruled out for the majority. Although three-quarters are willing to consider Scotland for holidays, a quarter will not travel at all at the moment. Q The financial impacts of Covid-19 are showing signs
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of increasing, with 35% of Scots saying they have been impacted ‘significantly’. This will undoubtedly impact on travel and tourism with less money around to spend on holidays later this year and into 2021. It will also likely impact behaviours, types of holiday and destination choices. Q The likely changing face of tourism will be exacerbated in 2021 by a clear demonstration that most Scots are unlikely to return to foreign holiday-taking by air next year (60% already ruling it out) – especially older Scots who will undoubtedly be the last group to regain confidence to travel by air following the impacts of Covid-19.
2 THE SCALE OF THE STAYCATION MARKET IS SIGNIFICANT: Q The proportion of Scots either considering or having taken a 2020 Scottish holiday by late August remains remarkably consistent with July’s findings (53%), however not surprisingly, there has been movement down the holiday purchase funnel. By late August, 13% of Scots had already taken a holiday in Scotland since lockdown, whilst a further 10% had booked and 4% were at the ‘serious planning’ stage. Just over a quarter were only thinking about a Scottish holiday (27%). Q Just under four in 10 have no intention of a home holiday this year (38%) however as many as 9% claim to have been undecided but have now rejected a staycation this year. If all the holidays being considered are eventually
