We've just got over most of the Covid travel restrictions but now industrial actions and staffing problems are causing chaos at UK airports. So it's no surprise that more than half of holiday-loving families are planning on staying at home this summer.
Two years of Covid travel rules have already sparked a boom in domestic breaks and it seems that we have acquired a taste for the 'staycation' but a lot of the country's most popular destinations are buckling under the strain. According to Which?, staycations had started to gain in popularity before the pandemic as foreign travel became less appealing due to Brexit and the weakening pound. Travellers were also becoming more conscious of their carbon footprint and its impact on the planet, fuelling a desire to holiday closer to home.
Then we have had a few unusually hot summers which contributed to the pre-2020 mini boom. Then came the pandemic, with international flights down 94% in the first quarter of last year compared with the previous year. Now, just as rules are easing, airport queues and wide-scale flight disruption are again making people anxious about venturing abroad. Problems with passport application delivery times are also adding to the uncertainty.
Read more: What are your options if your passport doesn't arrive in time?
But if you've yet to arrange your holiday in the UK, you may be in for a shock. Fancy a trip to the small Welsh island of Anglesey? Forget it - Almost 74% of properties on Airbnb and Vrbo were fully booked from March last year. And because it's only got 2,094 listings on the sites, that doesn't leave a lot of hope if you were planning on booking for next month.
Which? has revealed which holiday rentals tend to fill up the fastest - and two destinations much-loved by North East families are near the top of the list. The Lake District and Scarborough are third and fourth on the list of most booked-up destinations, behind Welsh favourites Anglesey and Gwynedd.
But if you expand your search area if your original destination is full, we've got some great alternatives to consider.
Cornwall
The UK's most popular - and probably expensive - tourist destination, the South West, which includes Dorset and Devon as well as Cornwall, is expecting a 15% hike in visitors this year, according to research by Parkdean Resorts.
But turn off the M5 at Bristol and head to Pembrokeshire in Wales and you'll be rewarded with secret coves and wide, sandy beaches reminiscent of Cornwall, minus the crowds and the high price tag.
Scarborough and Whitby
According to research by Sykes Cottages, the North Yorkshire coast is the most popular holiday destination for UK holidays in 2022, with Whitby and Scarborough the top trending UK destination that Brits are looking at for holidays this year. But step away from the two tourist hotspots and you'll find the same scenic coastline and be able to enjoy the sea and sand without fighting through the crowds.
Slightly down the coast from Whitby is Robin Hood's Bay, a hilly fishing village characterised by craggy cliffs and cobbled streets or go south of Scarborough and explore Filey. Originally a fishing village, Filey is now a popular tourist destination, but it has remained quieter than its neighbouring town.
Blackpool
There's nothing quite like a wet weekend in Blackpool, but if the seaside town's brashness and crowds aren't for you, just two miles down the coast is Lytham St Anne's, with its vast beaches, a Victorian pier and a golf course. Elsewhere, there are parks, lakes, museums, cinemas and other attractions so there’s something to do whatever the weather.
The Lake District
If walking and mountain climbing are are more your thing but you hate the crowds that flock to the Lake District every year, look further afield to get your fix. Snowdonia National Park in Wales gets around 10 million visitors every year compared to the Lake District's 18.8 million or go even quieter by exploring the Brecon Beacons, which only gets 4.4 million visitors.
... Or stay close to home
Save on fuel a and head up to North Northumberland for an old-fashioned seaside holiday. Bamburgh has been voted the best overall seaside town by Which? readers for the third year in a row and Beadnell came sixth in the top 10 most popular UK destinations in a survey by Sykes Holiday Cottages. With wide, quiet beaches, great scenery and the famous castles, why go further afield?
Alternatively, give Saltburn, just down the coast from Redcar, at try. It has all of the essentials for a great British seaside experience with a five-star Blue Flag beach and top scores for its seafront and scenery. The town is characterised by its Victorian nostalgia, including its pier and its iconic cliff lift.
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