UK staycation venues are booking fast! Here are the most popular homecation features Brits want at home

With lockdown restrictions easing, summer holidays are on everyone’s minds. But with no certainty around when international travel will open, holiday venues across Britain are booking up fast. This could leave many of us forced to stay home — but we can still make the most of it! 2021 looks to be the summer many of us will plan a holiday at home: a homecation.

Interest in staycations has skyrocketed, leaving a quarter of Brits unable to book a holiday

If you’re set on going away this year, you’ve got to get in there quick! Interest in UK staycations is 10 times higher than the beginning of the year and is 102% higher than in 2020. As a result, it’s expected only one-fifth of rooms will be available in July. In August and September, most venues will be fully booked and unable to meet surplus demand. This will leave a quarter of Brits unable to go on a staycation.

As a result, British homeowners are already planning their homecations by buying luxury items and holiday comforts you’d normally only get to enjoy at a resort or getaway.

Here are the luxury homecation items millions of Brits are buying

Google data shows we’re already preparing for a summer in the garden at home.

We researched popular homecation ideas to see what’s trending and how Brits are preparing for their staycation at home:

With millions interested in soaking in their own hot tub, cooling down from the summer heat in a new swimming pool or relaxing in the garden under a pergola, it’s clear the UK is looking forward to a summer at home that is just as indulgent as a holiday getaway.

And while interest in wood burners has decreased since January 2021, this may largely be due to the warm weather during this time of year. Overall, wood burners are still seeing a 17% increase in interest compared to the same period in 2020, showing we’re set on keeping warm during cool summer evenings.

Save thousands of pounds by homecationing

A holiday at home is a great compromise for those unable to escape to the beach or countryside. And the good news is it has added benefits in terms of saving money and improving your home!

It’s estimated that UK couples spend an average of £3,654 on a two-week staycation:

If you’re hoping to purchase your own home, these savings could make a massive difference towards the deposit on a Shared Ownership home!

Plus, owners who invest in certain homecation home improvements can increase the value of their home. An in-ground hot tub or built-in spa can help give your property’s value a boost. And the average in-ground pool is said to increase property value by around 7%.

‘Although everyone misses planning trips away, a silver lining is that many people have accumulated greater savings by staying home this past year. As a result, getting on the property ladder has become much more attainable for many first time buyers, particularly for those buying a Shared Ownership home where deposits are often much lower than buying on the open market. At Share to Buy, we’ve seen this reflected in a 57% increase in enquiries over the last year.’ – Nick Lieb, Head of Operations, Share to Buy

When staying home is this good, who needs a staycation?

Share to Buy is a one-stop shop for first-time buyers looking to get a foot on the property ladder through Shared Ownership or Help to Buy. Start planning your future today and check out our available properties.

Data for this article was collected using Google Trends and SEMRush.