SAFECATION; THE NEW POST-LOCKDOWN STAYCATION

2020 SAFECATION REPORT REVEALS THE UK DESTINATIONS WITH THE MOST CONTACTLESS PAYMENT OPTIONS

• Gower, West Glamorgan, Wales tops the list as the best destination for a socially distanced staycation
• The new list of top destinations for social distancing could host 669% more visitors than  traditional UK escapes
• With the lowest crime rates, Scotland is the UK’s safest region for a staycation
• The money.co.uk UK Staycation Nation Report can be found here: money.co.uk/guides/safecation-report

As more Brits plan on taking a staycation than ever before*, the consumer spending experts at money.co.uk have created the 2020 Safecation Report, which identifies the best locations in the UK for a socially distanced holiday and the destinations helping us pay safely and those that haven’t quite made the mark.

With open spaces being such a priority at the moment, the report takes a list of the UK locations that are home to the largest public parks (according to Ordnance Survey) and compares them against the UK’s most-visited staycations destinations to reveal the safest staycations in the whole of the UK, based on the following criteria: Space (km2), Contactless payment availability, Free activities, Dog friendliness, Number of beaches within a 50km radius, Number of caravan parks/camping sites within a 50km radius, Crime rate for April 2020, Visitors per year to the county, Park entry fee, and Car parking charges.

Forget crushing into overcrowded beauty spots and head to hidden gems dotted around the UK that are perfect for social distancing.

Table: New vs Traditional Destinations Ranked out of 100

Source: money.co.uk

Gower, West Glamorgan in Wales has topped the list for the best new destination for a socially distanced staycation in the UK. With only 149,089 visitors per year to the county, the remote location offers plenty for those looking for a crowd-free option.

The study revealed that the Rhosili and South Gower Coast could accommodate up to 2,230,410 visitors whilst maintaining a one metre distance.

Devon took the top spot for the most popular traditional UK staycation destination, but with over 2,510,000 visitors to the county each year it is a hotspot for overcrowding – 10 times as many visitors per year when compared to Gower.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has changed how we live our daily lives. It has affected everything from how we use our time to how we wash our hands, and even how we pay. As COVID-19 can be spread through things we touch there has been an increased focus on using contactless payments. With this in mind, the 2020 Safecation Report looks at the top 10 new and traditional destinations for contactless payments within the park facilities.

The report found that 52% of the new destinations had contactless debit or credit card payment options available for parking, food and drinks, shopping and leisure activities.

Traditional staycations in the report were very similar with around half of the park facilities accepting contactless payments.

With the government urging us to take our 2020 summer holiday here in the UK, excited Brits have been rushing to book their getaways. But, as money.co.uk’s consumer spending expert Salman Haqqi explains, this could lead to overcrowding and difficulty adhering to social distancing rules.

“Campsites, holiday parks and hotels all over the nation are ready and waiting to welcome guests back, but even with strict social distancing guidelines in place, overcrowding can still be a problem in tourist honeypots.

“Our report shows that a destination like Glasgow can only host around 8% of the usual annual visitors to the area taking one metre social distancing into account, whereas there is plenty of space for everyone in Gower.

“It’s not just wide-open spaces that need to be considered when booking, the report found that 52% of the new destinations had contactless payment options available for parking, food and drinks, shopping and leisure activities.”

Find the full Money.co.uk Safecation Report here: https://www.money.co.uk/guides/safecation-report

*https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-one-booking-every-11-seconds-as-brits-scramble-to-buy-staycations-12013892

https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/news/britains-100-biggest-parks