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Camping beats all-inclusive breaks as top family getaway for Brits

6th March 2013 Print

Camping and caravanning still holds the crown for the best family getaway following decades of popularity, research from car hire comparison site Carhiremarket.com has revealed. Hitting the campsite has been the nation’s favourite holiday since the 1940s and it seems ‘cheap and cheerful’ getaways are here to stay, with over a third of children going on this kind of break over the last 15 years.

The findings come from a study commissioned by Carhiremarket that set out to uncover the changing face of family holidays over the past 60 years. It seems the choice of getaway for Brits hasn’t changed dramatically across the decades, as the British love affair for a good deal has meant holidays where you cook your own food, whether around a campfire or in a chalet apartment, are consistently high on the list.

The poll of over 2,000 adults also revealed how the trend for different types of holiday has changed over the years:

Cheap and cheerful B&Bs held little appeal post-1945, yet peaked in popularity during the 1980s.

Camping hit an all-time high in the 1960s, and aside from a slight dip in the 80s, has seen a steady incline since.

If you are a 90’s baby you are more likely to have been on a self-catering trip in the sun, treated to camping or caravanning holidays abroad.

Luxury hotels rank the lowest in popularity across the years and, while they increased slightly across the 80’s and 90’s, still remain the least popular family getaway.

One in ten of over 65 year olds were not taken on holiday at all when they were younger, but only 4% of younger generations faced the same situation.

Regardless of the type of accommodation we opt for, it seems Brits have consistently loved the seaside, with 83% revealing that lazy days spent on the beach and in the sea were the top activity on a family getaway.

Furthermore, despite what parents might dispute, it’s the younger generation that are the most active on holidays, with almost half (47%) of those children holidaying in the 90’s and 2000’s taking part in walking or hiking activities when holidaying with their family. In comparison, 58% of children holidaying before the 1970s were most likely to keep busy on family holidays with a board game.

Andrew Shorrock, Product Marketing Manager at Carhiremarket.com commented: “Over the years it seems that Brits have shown a consistent appeal for self-catering holidays, but we’ve seen a steady incline with each generation in moving these holidays to destinations abroad. Now, more than ever, the continent is more accessible, and with a hire car, families can simply throw a tent in the back and head over to Europe for a quick, hassle-free getaway with the kids.”

For those looking to head out in the car with the kids on holiday, families can also download Carhiremarket.com’s Top 10 In-car Game Guide – a perfect solution to keeping the kids entertained on any type of car journey.

For more information on the best value car hire, visit carhiremarket.com.