{"id":90511,"date":"2026-05-29T12:58:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T11:58:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/?p=90511"},"modified":"2026-05-29T13:00:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T12:00:17","slug":"sykes-staycation-index-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/sykes-staycation-index-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sykes Staycation Index 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"90511\" class=\"elementor elementor-90511\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2c92ffc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2c92ffc\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2b88d5c\" data-id=\"2b88d5c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a9bdba elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8a9bdba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Sykes Holiday Cottages is back once again with its highly anticipated Staycation Index, covering trends, insights and all you need to know about the UK staycation market.<\/p><p>Our annual report provides a comprehensive overview of the current staycation landscape, fuelled by dedicated consumer research and bookings data.<\/p><p>Uncover the most popular destinations in the UK, the latest travel trends inspiring UK holidaymakers and how AI is impacting travel planning.<\/p><p><em><strong>Read on or download the full 2026 Staycation index to learn more&#8230;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-2c46e1f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2c46e1f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-80a7838\" data-id=\"80a7838\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e1d9678 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"e1d9678\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Sykes-Holiday-Cottages-2026-Staycation-Index.pdf\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\"><strong>Download the Full Report Here >><\/strong><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-a466e5c\" data-id=\"a466e5c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9436558 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"9436558\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/chatgpt.com\/g\/g-68516aa5750c81919941c3e82d015d6e-sykes-staycation-index-2026\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\"><strong>Explore the Staycation Index with AI >><\/strong><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d9f9157 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"d9f9157\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab28c68 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ab28c68\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>What&#8217;s in the 2026 Report?<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#welcome\">Welcome to the Sykes 2026 Staycation Index<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#bigpicture\">The Big Picture: UK Staycation Market at a Glance<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#favourite\">The UK&#8217;s Favourite Holiday Destinations<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#trending\">Trending UK Holiday Destinations<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#trends\">2026 Travel Trends<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#AI\">AI-Powered Holiday Planning<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#staycation-AI\">Explore the Staycation Index with AI<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#who-and-when\">Who is Holidaying in the UK and When?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#methodology\">Methodology<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2b8b226 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2b8b226\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Sykes-Holiday-Cottages-2026-Staycation-Index.pdf\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-sykes-staycation-index-banner.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-90872\" alt=\"Download the Sykes Staycation Index 2026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-sykes-staycation-index-banner.jpg 940w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-sykes-staycation-index-banner-640x177.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-sykes-staycation-index-banner-150x41.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-sykes-staycation-index-banner-768x212.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f4eec93 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"f4eec93\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-961c4b1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"961c4b1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"welcome\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f31724f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f31724f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Welcome to the Sykes 2026 Staycation Index<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-037c257 elementor-widget elementor-widget-testimonial\" data-id=\"037c257\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"testimonial.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-testimonial-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-testimonial-content\">\"The UK staycation market continues to show strong resilience, with demand holding firm as more Brits choose to holiday closer to home. While domestic travel remains popular, traveller behaviour is evolving \u2013 with shorter, more frequent breaks and a growing demand for off-peak trips.<br><br>\n\nYounger generations, particularly Gen Z, are playing a key role in shaping this shift. Their preference for flexible, experience-led travel is influencing how and when people holiday, while digital tools \u2013 including AI \u2013 are transforming the way trips are planned and booked. At the same time, the enduring appeal of UK destinations highlights the ongoing importance of local tourism. <br><br>\n\nAs the sector adapts, the opportunity for growth remains clear. The staycation market is not just thriving but continuing to evolve to meet changing traveller needs.\"<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-testimonial-meta elementor-has-image elementor-testimonial-image-position-aside\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-testimonial-meta-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-testimonial-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/james-shaw-0047b61\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/James-Shaw-Headshot.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-77968\" alt=\"James Shaw Headshot.\" \/><\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-testimonial-details\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-testimonial-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/james-shaw-0047b61\">James Shaw<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-testimonial-job\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/james-shaw-0047b61\">Chief Commercial Officer<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf15271 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"bf15271\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2b50e37 elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"2b50e37\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"bigpicture\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a84ec27 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a84ec27\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>The Big Picture: UK Staycation Market at a Glance<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1130cc7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1130cc7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6c3c09f\" data-id=\"6c3c09f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b220f8 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"4b220f8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Demand.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90899\" alt=\"Brits love uk travel\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Demand.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Demand-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">64% of Brits are planning a UK break this year<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">38% are planning to make it their main holiday with more choosing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/staycation-vs-abroad\/\">staycations vs abroad<\/a>. This has grown 4% YoY.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-597faf3 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"597faf3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Late-booking.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90898\" alt=\"Later booking\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Late-booking.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Late-booking-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Continued shift to later planning<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Average lead time at around 101 days (14.4 weeks) and nearly a third (31%) of trips in 2025 booked within a month of departure.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a2ca7d2\" data-id=\"a2ca7d2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-00e6018 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"00e6018\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Solo-2.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90894\" alt=\"young traveller\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Solo-2.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Solo-2-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Younger travellers are leading the trend<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Over 53% of 18-28s opting for a UK main holiday and 72% planning a UK trip overall.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a2eb9f elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"7a2eb9f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Off-peak.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90896\" alt=\"off peak travel\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Off-peak.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Off-peak-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Off-peak travel is gaining momentum<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Bookings were up year-on-year for January (+12%) and October (+11%) 2025, as Brits look to avoid peak prices and crowds.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b3d8c18\" data-id=\"b3d8c18\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54a4ae4 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"54a4ae4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Shorter-break.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90895\" alt=\"shorter breaks\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Shorter-break.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Shorter-break-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Shorter, more frequent breaks are now the norm<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">With Brits taking 3 UK trips per year on average, and 51% of 2025 bookings classed as short breaks (6 or less days).<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bfbcc94 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"bfbcc94\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Solo-3.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90897\" alt=\"solo travel\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Solo-3.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Solo-3-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Solo travel continues to surge<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Solo bookings are up 25% year-on-year in 2025, making it the fastest-growing traveller type as more people seek the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/best-solo-holiday-destinations-uk\/\">best solo destinations in the UK<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fc42bee elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"fc42bee\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5695b81\" data-id=\"5695b81\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b013689 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"b013689\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b6db5b7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"b6db5b7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"favourite\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-37229c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"37229c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>The UK&#8217;s Favourite Holiday Destinations<\/h2><p>Curious about the UK\u2019s most popular destinations? Here\u2019s everything you need to know. We&#8217;ve analysed 2026 bookings so far to reveal the 10 most popular regions and destinations.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-80f3d8f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"80f3d8f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"background-color: #f2f2f2; padding: 32px 32px 32px 32px; margin-bottom: 32px; border-radius: 10px;\"><h3 id=\"highlight\">The Top 10 Most Popular Regions in 2026 so far:<\/h3><ol><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/cumbria-holiday-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cumbria<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/cornwall-holiday-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cornwall<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/north-yorkshire-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">North Yorkshire<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/devon-holiday-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Devon<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/gwynedd-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gwynedd<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/northumberland-holiday-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northumberland<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/dorset-holiday-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dorset<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/anglesey-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Anglesey<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/derbyshire-holiday-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Derbyshire<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/conwy-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Conwy<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-677344d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"677344d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2854b3c\" data-id=\"2854b3c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-37ffcbb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"37ffcbb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"background-color: #f2f2f2; padding: 32px 32px 32px 32px; margin-bottom: 32px; border-radius: 10px;\"><h3 id=\"highlight\">The Top 10 Most Popular Locations in 2026 so far:<\/h3><ol><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/st-ives-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">St Ives<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/inspiration\/guides\/cornwall\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cornwall<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/bamburgh-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bamburgh<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/inspiration\/guides\/northumberland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northumberland<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/ambleside-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ambleside<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/lake-district-holiday-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lake District<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/grasmere-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Grasmere<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/inspiration\/guides\/lake-district\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lake District<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/robin-hoods-bay-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robin Hood\u2019s Bay<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/inspiration\/guides\/north-yorkshire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">North Yorkshire<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/brighton-and-hove-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brighton<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/east-sussex-cottages.html\">East Sussex<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/lyme-regis-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lyme Regis<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/inspiration\/guides\/dorset\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dorset<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/bakewell-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bakewell<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/peak-district-holiday-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Peak District<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/salcombe-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Salcombe<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/inspiration\/guides\/devon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Devon<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/cottages-near-bourton-on-the-water.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bourton-on-the-Water<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/cotswolds-holiday-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cotswolds<\/a><\/li><\/ol><p><strong><em>Looking for more inspiration? Check out our guide to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/uk-holiday-destinations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UK&#8217;s most popular holiday destinations<\/a> &gt;&gt;<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-daa5e6a\" data-id=\"daa5e6a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d169b07 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d169b07\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"940\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/best-uk-destinations-sykes-staycation-index-2026.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90873\" alt=\"Best UK Holiday Destinations 2026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/best-uk-destinations-sykes-staycation-index-2026.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/best-uk-destinations-sykes-staycation-index-2026-291x427.jpg 291w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/best-uk-destinations-sykes-staycation-index-2026-340x500.jpg 340w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/best-uk-destinations-sykes-staycation-index-2026-102x150.jpg 102w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0c81811 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0c81811\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-85ba3b7\" data-id=\"85ba3b7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-da851a6 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"da851a6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-357735c elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"357735c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"trending\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9b445c6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9b445c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Trending UK Holiday Destinations<\/h2><p>For those looking to get ahead of the curve, we&#8217;ve also identified the top 10 trending locations in 2026, based on year-on-year booking growth.<\/p><p>Our data-led guide to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/best-uk-towns-villages\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trending and most popular UK towns and villages<\/a> uncovers what makes these destinations so special as well as plenty of reasons why they should be on your staycation bucket list.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e6a1612 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e6a1612\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b92dc04\" data-id=\"b92dc04\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3dd8b77 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3dd8b77\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol><li>Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire (+125% YoY)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/cromer-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cromer<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/norfolk-holiday-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Norfolk<\/a> (+46% YoY)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/teignmouth-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Teignmouth<\/a>, Devon (+36% YoY)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/praa-sands-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Praa Sands<\/a>, Cornwall<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/aberystwyth-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aberystwyth<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/cardigan-bay-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ceredigion<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/borth-y-gest-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Borth-y-Gest<\/a>, Gwynedd<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/oban-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Oban<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/argll-and-bute-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Argyll and Bute<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/hayle-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hayle<\/a>, Cornwall<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/saint-agnes-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">St Agnes<\/a>, Cornwall<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/beddgelert-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Beddgelert<\/a>, Gwynedd<\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-17194d7\" data-id=\"17194d7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e28f077 elementor-arrows-position-inside elementor-pagination-position-outside elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-carousel\" data-id=\"e28f077\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;slides_to_show&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;navigation&quot;:&quot;both&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_hover&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_interaction&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;autoplay_speed&quot;:5000,&quot;infinite&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;effect&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;speed&quot;:500}\" data-widget_type=\"image-carousel.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel-wrapper swiper\" role=\"region\" aria-roledescription=\"carousel\" aria-label=\"Image Carousel\" dir=\"ltr\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel swiper-wrapper\" aria-live=\"off\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"1 of 10\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Boroughbridge.jpg\" alt=\"Boroughbridge\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Boroughbridge<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"2 of 10\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Cromer.jpg\" alt=\"Cromer\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Cromer<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"3 of 10\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Teignmouth.jpg\" alt=\"Teignmouth\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Teignmouth<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"4 of 10\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Praa.jpg\" alt=\"Praa\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Praa<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"5 of 10\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aberystwyth.jpg\" alt=\"Aberystwyth\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Aberystwyth<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"6 of 10\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Borth-y-Gest.jpg\" alt=\"Borth-y-Gest\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Borth-y-Gest<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"7 of 10\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Oban.jpg\" alt=\"Oban\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Oban<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"8 of 10\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Hayle.jpg\" alt=\"Hayle\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Hayle<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"9 of 10\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/St-Agnes.jpg\" alt=\"St Agnes\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">St Agnes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"10 of 10\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Beddgelert.jpg\" alt=\"Beddgelert\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Beddgelert<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-prev\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-left\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-next\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3e10f63 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3e10f63\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a989665\" data-id=\"a989665\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-14f05a4 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"14f05a4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-be1bb4d elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"be1bb4d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"trends\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f073ee4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f073ee4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>2026 Travel Trends<\/h2><h3>1. Budget Breaks<\/h3><p>Affordability is clearly on the mind of the UK holiday maker, with travellers increasingly seeking better value without losing out on experience.<\/p><p>Our research shows that 23% of Brits are opting for cheaper destinations, rising to 30% among Gen Z and 33% among Millennials.<\/p><p>This trend is impacting where people travel, with 1 in 5 Brits opting for a UK break instead of travelling abroad. With this in mind, we&#8217;ve collated a list of the most affordable and under-the-radar destinations that could make for the perfect holiday without breaking the bank.<\/p><div style=\"background-color: #f2f2f2; padding: 32px 32px 32px 32px; margin-bottom: 32px; border-radius: 10px;\"><h4>Top 10 affordable towns for a week\u2019s stay in 2026:<\/h4><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-90900 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Coin-150x150.png\" alt=\"coin\" width=\"80\" height=\"80\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Coin-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Coin.png 205w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 80px) 100vw, 80px\" \/><\/p><ol><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/louth-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Louth<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/lincolnshire-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lincolnshire<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/saltburn-by-the-sea-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Saltburn-By-The-Sea<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/redcar-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Redcar<\/a> &amp; Cleveland<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/haworth-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Haworth<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/west-yorkshire-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">West Yorkshire<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/hornsea-holiday-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hornsea<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/holiday-cottages-east-yorkshire.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">East Riding of Yorkshire<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/staithes-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Staithes<\/a>, North Yorkshire<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/thirsk-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Thirsk<\/a>, North Yorkshire<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/hereford-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hereford<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/herefordshire-holiday-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Herefordshire<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/liskeard-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Liskeard<\/a>, Cornwall<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/okehampton-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Okehampton<\/a>, Devon<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/morpeth-cottages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Morpeth<\/a>, Northumberland<\/li><\/ol><p><em><strong>You can read more about what makes these destinations so special in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/cheapest-holiday-destinations-uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">guide to the cheapest UK holiday destinations<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/div><h3>2. Multi-Stay Holidays<\/h3><p>Our research found that Brits are increasingly looking to maximise their time away, making multiple stops throughout their trip.<\/p><p>Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Brits said that they were planning or considering a multi-stay UK holiday. This increases through the generations, with 74% of Millennials and 85% of Gen Z saying the same. This is on the rise, with 23% of Brits saying that they&#8217;re more likely to consider this type of trip than five year ago.<\/p><p>The research further uncovered that Brits would, on average, visit three locations per trip which rise to four amongst Gen Z; with coastal destinations being the most popular (65%).<\/p><h3>3. Set-Jetting Holidays<\/h3><p>Ever found yourself watching a TV series or film and then wondering where it&#8217;s filmed and if you can visit? Then you aren&#8217;t alone; TV and film are increasingly influencing travel decisions with on-screen destination being reflected in real-world demand through search volume and booking patterns.<\/p><p>This is a trend is clearly here to stay! Over 67% of UK travellers said they would consider visiting a location featured in a film or series, particularly Gen Z and Millennials.<\/p><div style=\"background-color: #f2f2f2; padding: 32px 32px 32px 32px; margin-bottom: 32px; border-radius: 10px;\"><h4>The top set-jetting for 2026 include:<\/h4><ol><li>Birmingham &amp; Black Country (Peaky Blinders)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/holiday-cottages-in-northern-ireland.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northern Ireland<\/a> (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms &#8211; Game of Thrones prequel)<\/li><li>Northumberland (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom)<\/li><li>Buckinghamshire (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/bridgerton-filming-locations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bridgerton<\/a>)<\/li><li>Lake District (Bridget Jones)<\/li><\/ol><p><em><strong>Check out more popular locations in our guide to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/discover-uk-filming-locations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">best filming locations in the UK<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1db0a1f elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"1db0a1f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a7ccb2c elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"a7ccb2c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"AI\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-858e057 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"858e057\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>AI-Powered Holiday Planning<\/h2><p>AI has taken the world by storm and the UK staycation market is no exception. We&#8217;re seeing this impact on real-world behaviour, with huge shifts in how people are finding and accessing our website. Our data shows a 1,389% increase in people coming to the website via LLMs including ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, between January and March 2026.<\/p><p>Our research also uncovered how travellers are increasingly using AI tools to plan and personalise their trips. From itinerary-building and destination discovery to budgeting and route optimisation, the possibilities are endless.<\/p><p>We found that younger travellers are leading the charge when it comes to using smart tools across their whole journey. These are our key findings:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-030f810 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"030f810\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a8f83a3\" data-id=\"a8f83a3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6bd0dd0 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"6bd0dd0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Solo-4.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90902\" alt=\"Gen Z\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Solo-4.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Solo-4-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Gen Z are driving AI-adoption<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">55% are using AI for destination inspiration compared to 26% of Brits overall.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1bcc9b8\" data-id=\"1bcc9b8\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8217935 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"8217935\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AI.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90901\" alt=\"AI powered holiday planning\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AI.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AI-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">AI is influencing travel decisions<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">15% of Brits saying AI shaped their choice of destination, which rises to 28% for Millennials and 30% for Gen Z.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-da4e428 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"da4e428\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-af1643b\" data-id=\"af1643b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a36dee elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"7a36dee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"206\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Trust-in-AI.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90904\" alt=\"trust in AI\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Trust-in-AI.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Trust-in-AI-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Trust in AI is shaping behaviour<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Men are 57% more likely than women to rely on it when making travel decisions.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-414aade\" data-id=\"414aade\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c89bd34 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"c89bd34\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Planning-with-AI.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90903\" alt=\"planning with AI\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Planning-with-AI.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Planning-with-AI-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Travel planning remains the top use case<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">This is followed by finding places to eat and choosing where to go.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a3c2691 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a3c2691\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5a6f176\" data-id=\"5a6f176\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2cde028 elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"2cde028\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"staycation-AI\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d047fb8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d047fb8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Explore the Staycation Index with AI<\/h3><p>Prefer to explore things your way? We\u2019ve turned the Staycation Index into an interactive experience, so you can dig into the data in a way that suits you.<\/p><p>Got a burning question the report might answer? Instead of trawling through the content, just ask. From trends and destinations to booking behaviour, the insights are instantly at your fingertips.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-35c3863 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"35c3863\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/chatgpt.com\/g\/g-68516aa5750c81919941c3e82d015d6e-sykes-staycation-index-2026\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\"><strong>Explore the Staycation Index with AI >><\/strong><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ce70c0 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"3ce70c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6229b49 elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"6229b49\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"who-and-when\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17bd968 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"17bd968\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Who is Holidaying in the UK and when?<\/h2><p>At Sykes, it is more important than ever for us to understand who is holidaying and when, so we can cater our content to help people find their next amazing getaway.<\/p><p>We&#8217;ve used our research to delve into who is booking a UK staycation and when, and a few of these findings might surprise you!<\/p><h3>Who is Holidaying the UK?<\/h3><h4>Gen Z (ages 18-28)<\/h4><p>Leading the staycation surge, Gen Z are the most likely to holiday at home and to do so frequently.<\/p><ul><li>53% plan to take their main holiday in the UK<\/li><li>72% will take a UK trip overall<\/li><li>Average 3 UK breaks per year<\/li><li>Most likely generation to travel with friends<\/li><li>Driving demand for frequent, social and flexible trips<\/li><\/ul><h4>Millennials (ages 29-44)<\/h4><p>Balancing family, partners and experiences, Millennials are the biggest investors in UK breaks.<\/p><ul><li>Highest average spend: \u00a31,306 per main UK break<\/li><li>Most frequent travellers: 4 trips per year<\/li><li>50% travel with children under 18<\/li><li>68% travel with a partner<\/li><li>Strong demand for family-friendly and experience-led stays<\/li><\/ul><h4>Gen X and Boomers (ages 45+)<\/h4><p>More selective but consistent, older travellers favour familiar formats and partner-led trips.<\/p><ul><li>Around 60% plan a UK break each year<\/li><li>Lower likelihood to choose the UK as a main holiday vs younger groups<\/li><li>Prefer travelling with a partner (60\u201370%)<\/li><li>Strong preference for cottage-style and countryside breaks<\/li><\/ul><h4>Pets<\/h4><p>One important thing to know is that pets are always part of the plan!<\/p><p>27% of our 2025 bookings included a pet, which is why uncovering the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/best-dog-friendly-holidays-uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">top dog-friendly destinations in the UK<\/a> is more important than ever.<\/p><h3>When are Brits Staycationing?<\/h3><p>Our research and data analysis of 2025 bookings found the following:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-639a402 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"639a402\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2234545\" data-id=\"2234545\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b0aabe4 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"b0aabe4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"217\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Late-summer.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90905\" alt=\"late summer\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Late-summer.png 217w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Late-summer-150x142.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 217px) 100vw, 217px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h4 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Late summer still leads demand<\/h4><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">August is the most popular month to travel, followed by May and July.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c7b118a\" data-id=\"c7b118a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9fb522b elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"9fb522b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/spring.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90906\" alt=\"spring\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/spring.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/spring-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h4 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Spring is gaining ground<\/h4><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">With May rising sharply in popularity since 2023 and April bookings up 15% year-on-year in 2025.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b347604\" data-id=\"b347604\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-00957e7 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"00957e7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Off-peak.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90896\" alt=\"off peak travel\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Off-peak.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Off-peak-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h4 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Off-peak travel is on the rise<\/h4><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Led by January (+12% year-on-year) and October (+11% year-on-year), as travellers look to avoid peak prices and crowds, a common way to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/booking-budget-holidays-uk\/\">book a staycation on a budget<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b7cdb87 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b7cdb87\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b462a53\" data-id=\"b462a53\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a5a8284 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"a5a8284\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"207\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Winter.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90907\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Winter.png 207w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Winter-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 207px) 100vw, 207px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h4 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Winter is strengthening as a travel season<\/h4><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">2025 winter bookings were up 5% year-on-year, with more people looking to find <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/best-places-to-visit-winter-uk\/\">the best places to visit in winter<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ff3eed0\" data-id=\"ff3eed0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-18ecf0d elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"18ecf0d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Short-break.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90908\" alt=\"short breaks\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Short-break.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Short-break-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h4 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Short breaks are driving flexibility<\/h4><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">They accounted for over half (51%) of all 2025 trip and 43% of 2026 trips to date, leading us to uncover <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/best-uk-short-breaks\/\">the best short break destinations in the UK<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7b28ca8\" data-id=\"7b28ca8\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6a983dc elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"6a983dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Late-booking.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90898\" alt=\"Later booking\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Late-booking.png 205w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Late-booking-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h4 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Late booking behaviour is increasing<\/h4><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Nearly a third (31%) of trips are now booked within a month of departure.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e54782d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e54782d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4a7e99c\" data-id=\"4a7e99c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d17db6d elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"d17db6d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c485324 elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"c485324\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"methodology\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-84b66d2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"84b66d2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Methodology<\/h2><p>Sykes\u2019 bookings data for 25,000 properties in 2026 was used to provide a snapshot of the staycation market, while comparisons with equivalent YTD and full-year figures from 2023 to 2025 were used to identify market trends. Supporting consumer research of 2,000 UK adults was carried out by OnePoll in April 2026.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff15b25 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"ff15b25\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b633345 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b633345\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>If our 2026 Sykes Staycation Index has piqued your interest, download the full report to learn more! You can also check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/sykes-staycation-index-2025\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2025&#8217;s Staycation Index<\/a> to see how things have changed in the Staycation market.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-79233ca elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"79233ca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Sykes-Holiday-Cottages-2026-Staycation-Index.pdf\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-sykes-staycation-index-banner.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-90872\" alt=\"Download the Sykes Staycation Index 2026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-sykes-staycation-index-banner.jpg 940w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-sykes-staycation-index-banner-640x177.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-sykes-staycation-index-banner-150x41.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-sykes-staycation-index-banner-768x212.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to the Sykes Staycation Index for 2026, the home of the UK&#8217;s latest travel trends, top destinations and other interesting insights!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":177,"featured_media":90869,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[183],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-90511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90511","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/177"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90511"}],"version-history":[{"count":53,"href":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90511\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91373,"href":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90511\/revisions\/91373"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90869"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90511"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90511"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sykescottages.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90511"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}