Aug 27, 2021
3 Minutes

Are you planning a staycation this year? Our research suggests you probably are!

If you’re the sort of person who enjoys sunny holidays overseas the chances are you’ve had to look a little closer to home for a summer getaway.

The fallout from the pandemic is continuing to shape many aspects of our everyday lives and our cars are now more important than ever in helping us decide where and how we travel on holiday.

In fact, our latest study revealed that British people have a renewed enthusiasm for Blighty-based holidays as half of us (49%) are more interested in staycations and road trips as a result of Covid-19.

And by way of backing up this new trend, we can tell you that the annual number of new Volkswagen California campervans that we’ve financed has risen a huge 547% from July 2020 to July 2021.

Both the California and Grand California models were recently awarded five stars in the Motorhome and Campervan Design Awards Buyers Guide for 2021 by The Caravan & Motorhome Club.

What are the headline takeaways from our research?

Well, it appears we all still like to be beside the seaside as coastal locations are the nation’s most popular staycation destinations this year (33%), ahead of countryside retreats (25%), city breaks (13%) and overseas resorts (12%).

We also found that we’re a nation of romantics as our partners are our most popular road trip companions (44%), but working from home has taken its toll with just 1% choosing to go on a road trip with colleagues.

However, men (6%) are twice as likely as women (3%) to want to get away with their celebrity crush, whilst women (35%) are significantly more likely than men (25%) to want to go on a road trip with their family.

Regionally, it’s people in Scotland (56%) who’ve become more interested in staycations as a result of the pandemic, whilst holidaymakers in the Midlands are most likely to choose their partner as their road trip companion (48%).

Interest in staycations has particularly increased among younger people, with 73% of 18-24 year olds now keener for a road trip as a result of Covid-19, compared to just 33% of over 65s.

Our research also unearthed a generational split between preferred staycation destinations, with preference for city breaks decreasing with age, and preference for coastal trips increasing with age.

What do the experts think?

Mike Todd, CEO at Volkswagen Financial Services UK, explained that domestic road trips have seen a renaissance this year because of limited overseas travel and people becoming more environmentally conscious. He said:

“The ongoing uncertainty surrounding international travel has meant that many British holidaymakers are opting for more reliable alternatives a little closer to home and it’s fantastic to see that so many of us have embraced a different kind of adventure this summer.

“Evidently people recognise that our personal vehicles are central to a successful staycation, so it’s no surprise to see the continuing surge in popularity of the Volkswagen campervan models.

“I also believe that people are becoming far more environmentally conscious, which is perhaps another reason why domestic road trips have become more attractive when compared to overseas travel.

“In that respect, annual finance cases for electric vehicles are up 128% so far this year compared to the whole of 2019, which highlights the big steps we’re making to mainstream adoption of electric cars.”

How can Volkswagen Financial Services UK help with your summer staycation?

For short-term or spontaneous road trips, with Volkswagen Financial Services Rent-a-Car you can choose from our range of Volkswagen, ŠKODA and SEAT cars to rent for a day, weekend or longer. All our cars are less than eight months old, meaning that you will be driving around in the latest models.

Find out more here.