A holiday in the Lake District costs four times as much as Italy’s Lake Garda

A week in the Lake District costs four times as much as a week in Italy’s Lake Garda, astonishing new research has revealed today.

As a result of ongoing Covid-19 travel restrictions, holidays in the UK, known most commonly as ‘staycations’, have boomed in popularity as Brits face no other option for their annual get-away. However, the rise in demand has also resulted in the rise in cost.

The independent consumer champion Which? examined the average cost of private holiday rentals, hotels and taking a holiday in various UK locations and found that, in almost every case, staycations were actually more expensive than going abroad.

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Their research found that seven nights in a highly rated hotel at Italy’s Lake Garda would cost £631, while the same stay for two people at Lake Windermere would set tourists back an eye-watering £2,381.

And, while the average staycationer travels 310 miles, spending just £43 on petrol in comparison to the £171 return flights to Italy, the Lake District holiday would still come in as £1,600 more expensive.

The only holiday that actually worked out cheaper was a get-away to the seaside town of Tenby in Wales, which cost a whole £10 less than a holiday to Estepona on the Costa del Sol in Spain. 

 Rory Boland, Which? travel editor, said: “Holidaying at home has always been expensive, but the situation has become far worse during the pandemic and it’s no wonder many people have felt priced out of a holiday this year.

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“The reasons are complex, but it is hard to avoid the conclusion that some unscrupulous accommodation providers are charging over the odds.”

He advised any Brits planning on getting away to book further away from popular UK destinations or travelling out of season to cut costs.

Data from AirDNA shows self-catered accommodation in the UK cost 41% more this August than it did in 2019.