In fact, research by BDRC Continental shows UK holidays will be more popular this year, because of the continued strength of the euro and a backlash against air travel.
BDRC’s research reveals 70% of those surveyed said they were likely to book a UK holiday in 2010, with 39% claiming they are considering taking their main 2010 holiday in the UK, up ten percentage points from the same time last year.
The appeal of holidaying in the UK also appears to be strengthening; 31% feel the UK is becoming more appealing as a destination, compared with 25% in 2009 and 19% back in the pre-economic downturn days of 2008.
The number of those who said they prefer the UK because they are fed up with air travel has increased from 29% last year, to 41% this.
The survey reveals 46% of all those considering Europe as a holiday destination have revised their plans on the basis of the current euro exchange rate.
Of these, 8% will not go to Europe at all, 8% will shorten their trips and 20% will reduce the number of trips there, while 21% will still go but will reduce expenditure.
A quarter of those who intend to take a UK holiday this year will opt for self-catering accommodation, with 16% likely to take a camping or caravanning holiday.
Of all UK bookings, 38% will be for seaside holidays, followed by rural/countryside holidays (33%), city/town breaks (28%) and activity/adventure holidays (13%).
Families are once again at the heart of this ‘staycation’ boom, with 21% of families saying they have already booked a holiday in the UK for 2010 compared with 14% of those without children.
Further research by BDRC shows 21% believe standards in hotel and accommodation are improving, while 21% said they had seen an improvement in restaurants and catering.
Steve Mills, director of the tourism, travel and leisure team at BDRC Continental said: ‘More people are deciding to holiday at home again this year.
‘The acid test will be when sterling strengthens, particularly against the euro.’
Use of the term 'staycation' has caused much debate in the industry, with domestic operators embracing it, and overseas operators saying it has been overused.
Critics include Peter Long, chief executive of TUI Travel, who said the word was 'stupid' and Manny Fontenla-Novoa, chief executive of Thomas Cook, who said there was too much 'hype' around the term.
BDRC's 2010 Holiday Survey was undertaken online earlier this month, among a representative sample of 1,005 UK adults.
See also:
Website forecasts demise of staycation (14/01/2010)
Staycations boost UK attractions (21/10/2009)
Staycation trend to continue into 2010 (20/10/2009)
Long ‘open minded’ about summer 2010 (09/10/2009)
Staycations herald more travel failures by autumn (27/07/2009)