British Travel Journal | Summer 2020
As we went to print with our last issue never could we have imagined a world in which travel would be completely stopped in its tracks. Never again will we take for granted our freedom to visit our magnificent cityscapes, captivating coastlines and peaceful countryside. It has been a difficult year for the hospitality and travel sector, but as this issue of British Travel Journal shows many are beginning to reopen, delighted to welcome back visitors and guests once more. We speak to these resilient hoteliers, destination managers, and others in the UK tourism industry about how they have responded to COVID-19. Our Cultural Agenda takes on a new direction, exchanging theatre performances for outdoor art, sculptures and natural wonders. And, in a time when remote locations are being sought after, all you need to know about wild (and nearly wild) camping is covered in our Sustainable Travel series. If camping isn’t for you, help is at hand to find the perfect holiday home in our 10 of the Best Self-Catering Properties. If you’re dreaming of strolls along the shore, fresh sea air and gently lapping waves, then you will love our coastal specials; Revival of the Beach Hut, England’s Coast, Wild Swimming and Secret Islands. Enjoy a taste of Cornwall in our Interview with Rick Stein before heading to the beach workshop of wooden bellyboards in our Meet the Maker: Wave Rider article with Dick Pearce. Finally, thank you to all our subscribers for your support, keeping our spirits high with words of encouragement and understanding the unusual delay in receiving this issue. Together we continued to dream of the extraordinary places we can explore, staying inspired with online and digital features, and hopefully by the time of reading this issue our next great adventures will have become reality.Travel safely, and together we will continue to support our wonderful tourism industry.
As we went to print with our last issue never could we have imagined a world in which travel would be completely stopped in its tracks. Never again will we take for granted our freedom to visit our magnificent cityscapes, captivating coastlines and peaceful countryside. It has been a difficult year for the hospitality and travel sector, but as this issue of British Travel Journal shows many are beginning to reopen, delighted to welcome back visitors and guests once more. We speak to these resilient hoteliers, destination managers, and others in the UK tourism industry about how they have responded to COVID-19. Our Cultural Agenda takes on a new direction, exchanging theatre performances for outdoor art, sculptures and natural wonders. And, in a time when remote locations are being sought after, all you need to know about wild (and nearly wild) camping is covered in our Sustainable Travel series. If camping isn’t for you, help is at hand to find the perfect holiday home in our 10 of the Best Self-Catering Properties. If you’re dreaming of strolls along the shore, fresh sea air and gently lapping waves, then you will love our coastal specials; Revival of the Beach Hut, England’s Coast, Wild Swimming and Secret Islands. Enjoy a taste of Cornwall in our Interview with Rick Stein before heading to the beach workshop of wooden bellyboards in our Meet the Maker: Wave Rider article with Dick Pearce. Finally, thank you to all our subscribers for your support, keeping our spirits high with words of encouragement and understanding the unusual delay in receiving this issue. Together we continued to dream of the extraordinary places we can explore, staying inspired with online and digital features, and hopefully by the time of reading this issue our next great adventures will have become reality.Travel safely, and together we will continue to support our wonderful tourism industry.
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HOLIDAYS AT HOME<br />
It is clear that the UK will be a main destination for anyone<br />
taking a holiday this year. “This will be the year of domestic<br />
tourism,” said Patricia Yates, something that is a really positive<br />
sign for many in the hospitality industry.<br />
At the Cary Arms in Devon, which responded to lockdown<br />
by reassuring guests that refunds and date moves would be met<br />
with no quibbles, the mood is positive. “The next 12 months will<br />
be very different but also very successful,” says David Adams.<br />
“The reduction in availability of overseas travel, and particularly<br />
cheap package holidays, will allow guests to really look at<br />
what UK tourism has to offer. There are so many genuine and<br />
amazing businesses in the UK already offering everything a guest<br />
could want from their holiday, now is our chance to shine. The<br />
tricky part is doing that without losing sight of why guests are<br />
coming to stay, to relax and enjoy themselves!”<br />
Rural or seaside areas are seeing particular interest, as Julie<br />
Hastings, marketing director at Hastings Hotels in Northern<br />
Ireland explains. “We have properties in the cities, countryside<br />
and also close to the beach in Northern Ireland and we have<br />
seen an increase in enquiries for bookings at our coastal and<br />
spa properties which are all in very beautiful natural locations.”<br />
September and October are looking to be popular and busy<br />
months for many in the industry, while longer stays are also looking<br />
more common. Luxury Cotswold Rentals say they have seen a<br />
sustained rise in enquiries for much longer-term rentals, up to two<br />
and three months, which the company is now calling ‘holi-stays’<br />
– and properties with swimming pools and tennis courts the most<br />
popular. “Many of our guests have cancelled European trips and<br />
are looking for somewhere to settle into for the summer months,”<br />
says founder Nigel Stengard-Green. à<br />
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