Two Thirds of Britons Shun Holidays with No Beach

Posted by Sue Anderson, 3rd May 2013

If you picture a holiday, you probably conjure up images of sun, sea and sand. For some people, being near the beach when on holiday is very important, but others might be more laid back about their vacation location.

In our latest poll, we wanted to find out more about the importance of being near the beach for British holidaymakers when abroad. We polled 1,922 people aged 18 and over, all of whom had been on holiday abroad in the last 2 years (lucky devils)!

When we asked the people we polled if they'd ever consider spending a holiday in a resort that wasn't near the beach, a staggering 64% of those taking part said 'no'. We then delved deeper and asked them to elaborate.

Two fifths felt it 'wasn't a holiday' if it wasn't near the beach



When looking into the reasons why people wouldn't consider a holiday destination that wasn't near the beach, 27% simply explained that it was due to their fact their children enjoyed the beach. Well, that's understandable. However, 41% claimed that it just didn't feel like a holiday to them if they weren't near the beach. We are struggling to get our heads around that one!

Almost half of those insisting on a beach didn't even visit the beach!



What makes this revelation about people not considering holidays without a beach nearby even more surprising, is that when we asked people if they actually went to the beach on their last trip, 46% said 'no'! So, it seems that people are more bothered about being able to see the beach, rather than actually getting sand between their toes or spending time there. That seems daft!

The poll also required respondents to answer the question 'Would you go on a holiday to a destination that wasn't going to be warm and sunny at the time of year you planned to travel?' to which even more of the people taking part, 78%, said 'no'. When asked again to elaborate and explain why this was the case, the majority of respondents claimed it was because they 'only went on holiday to escape bad weather', with 57% of the vote.

We also asked people if seeing the world was something that interested them, such as travelling to a number of different destinations in their lifetime. Over a third, 39%, said 'no', which we found very disheartening. When we asked why, 43% said they preferred to find somewhere they liked and stick to it.

Don't disregard non-beach breaks



The thing that's got us worried here is that so many people could be missing out on fantastic holiday destinations by insisting on having the beach nearby every time they go away. There's a whole world out there to explore and sticking to the coast isn't always the best way to do it. City breaks, ski trips and sunny inland holidays should all be on your radar, as you might regret not broadening your holiday horizons in future. For the best of both worlds, visit a beach resort one year and somewhere a little different the next!
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