YouGov / Guernsey holiday survey reveals desire for 'breaks with tradtion'

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24 March 2010: New research undertaken by YouGov on behalf of VisitGuernsey confirms that the current consumer trend towards traditional activities and pastimes is being matched by a desire for holidays and short breaks with a traditional appeal.

As evidenced by TV shows such as Kirstie Allsop’s Homemade Home, the BBC’s grow-your-own campaign Dig In, and the retro fabrics of Cath Kidston, ‘traditional’ is very much in vogue - and the new survey of 2,078 adults across the UK reveals the same sentiments at work in consumer travel choices.

Seventy-five per cent of those surveyed said that a ‘relaxed, traditional atmosphere’ appealed to them as part of their holiday, while ‘being able to potter and explore at your own pace’ appealed to a massive 81 per cent.

Traditional leisure pursuits such as cycling and countryside walking were popular too, with 75 per cent of respondents saying they are ‘likely’ to include such activities in their holiday or short break.

“The survey results show a significant demand for what we have termed ‘breaks with tradition’,” said Guernsey’s Director of Marketing & Tourism, Chris Elliott.

“A traditional break offers a quality experience, and a very personal one - it’s about holidaymakers connecting with their loved ones through shared enjoyment and fun activities in beautiful surroundings. Guernsey does this well, and it’s a big part of the reason behind our growing visitor numbers.”

Elliott said that confirmed accommodation bookings for the island for 2010 are currently five per cent higher than at the same stage last year, with bookings through tour operators up by around 20 per cent and the average length of stay through operator bookings increasing to 6.3 days.

He added that 2009 was itself a very strong year for Guernsey, with an average two per cent occupancy increase despite the global recession.

“Clearly, the ‘traditional’ trend is at work as strongly in travel as it is in other aspects of day-to-day lives - and Guernsey’s 27 beautiful beaches, 28 miles of stunning clifftop walks and relaxed, authentic atmosphere make it the perfect choice for a ‘break with tradition’,” said Elliott.

YouGov / VisitGuernsey consumer survey - key findings

The ‘traditional’ in day-to-day life
• 86% of those surveyed would welcome a return to ‘traditional values and ways of life’ such as good manners, politeness, fairness, independent local shops and pubs.
• 57% (and 67% of women!) said they have noticed a trend towards more traditional products and pastimes such as vintage clothing, home-grown vegetables and knitting.
• 93% agreed that eating fresh, locally-sourced produce is desirable.
• On a scale of 1-10, 35% of respondents with kids aged under 18 rated eating family meals around the dining table as a ‘10’ in importance; 84% rated it as ‘7’ or above. 32% said that they ate together on 10 or fewer occasions per month.
• 44% said they didn’t spend enough quality time with loved ones.

The ‘traditional’ applied to holidays and short breaks
• 53% of those surveyed felt nostalgic about the family holidays they had as children. This group was asked what they liked most about those holidays, the top three answers being: ‘spending time with family’ (43%); ‘coming together’ (42%); and ‘having fun’ (26%).
• On a scale of 1-10, 48% rated spending quality time with loved ones on holiday as a ‘10’ in importance; 80% rated it as an ‘8’ or above.
• 64% rated being able to choose from a range of activities as a ‘7’ or above in importance.
• 34% rated being able to speak the language when on holiday as a ‘7’ or above in importance.
• 73% rated natural, unspoilt surroundings as a ‘7’ or above in importance.
• 64% rated good food & wine as a ‘7’ or above in importance.
• 66% rated having a unique, personal holiday experience rather than a mass package as a ‘7’ or above in importance.
• 88% felt children can enjoy a holiday without theme parks or amusement arcades.
• 75% said they were likely to include some light activity (cycling, walking, etc) when on a holiday or short break.
• 43% said they would prefer a breakfast freshly cooked to order, versus 23% who preferred a buffet breakfast.
• 66% said that travel time and distance were either ‘very significant’ or ‘somewhat significant’ in their choice of holiday destination.
• 81% said that ‘being able to potter and explore at your own pace’ in their holiday destination appealed to them.
• 75% said a ‘relaxed, traditional atmosphere’ appealed to them.
• 62% said an ‘authentic, genuine feel’ appealed to them.
• 67% said coastal locations and great beaches appealed to them.
• Just 14% said a theme park appealed to them, while amusement arcades appealed to just 8% of respondents.

What about the family market?
• More parents with children aged eight and under (62%) felt nostalgic about their childhood family holidays than any other group.
• Spending lots of quality time with loved ones while on holiday was rated an ‘8’ or above in importance, on a scale of 1-10, by 80% of respondents - but this rose to 84 per cent among parents with younger children and 83 per cent among grandparents. 85 per cent of all women rated this an ‘8’ or above.
• 79 per cent of parents with kids aged 8 or younger said they are likely to include active pursuits such as countryside walks and cycling on their holiday - a higher percentage than any other group.
• 91 per cent of parents with kids aged 8 or younger said their children are perfectly capable of enjoying a great holiday without amusement arcades and theme parks!

And the over-50s?
• The desire for ‘unique and personal’ holidays rather than ‘mass package’ experiences is strongest in the over-50s - 74% compared with 66% overall rating this a ‘7’ or above in importance on a 1-10 scale.
• The over-50s are the group who most welcome the thought of a return to traditional values and ways of life (92%), and not surprisingly the group who found a ‘relaxed traditional atmosphere’ most appealing while on holiday (78%).
• Over-50s want quality: 96% agreed that eating fresh, locally sourced produce is desirable; they’re also more likely to want a freshly-cooked breakfast (49% compared with 43% overall).
• The over-50s are also the group who most want to be able to ‘potter and explore at their own pace’ (86% versus 81% generally), but don’t think that means they’re taking it easy: in fact, a higher proportion of over-50s (40%) said they are ‘very likely’ to include activities like walking or cycling in their holiday or short break than any other group!

For more information on Guernsey visit www.VisitGuernsey.com .

NOTES:
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,078 adults. This included 927 parents of children aged 8 or younger and 1107 adults aged 50+, each group being weighted on gender, region and social grade to ensure representivity. Fieldwork was undertaken between 22-27 February 2010. The survey was carried out online.

For further media information please contact:
The Saltmarsh Partnership
Tom Panagos tom@saltmarshpr.co.uk 0207 902 2794
Clair Horwood clair@saltmarshpr.co.uk 0207 902 2799
David Ezra david@saltmarshpr.co.uk 0207 902 2795