Your travel questions answered
The school holidays always concentrate the nation’s focus on travel and we wanted to give some insight into the questions the supposedly busier times of the year throw up. There is plenty of interesting research about the issues which are at the forefront of today’s travellers minds and we have, hopefully, given a little insight into how to mitigate some of the most worrying concerns. The Mail group conducted research and identified three major questions: the cost of living, the environmental impact of travel and how accessible will my holiday be?
The cost of living increased sharply across the UK during 2021 and 2022, affecting the affordability of goods and services bought by households. The annual rate of inflation peaked at 11.1% in October 2022, a 41-year high, before subsequently easing over the subsequent 18 months. Not until May 2024, did inflation fall to 2.0%, the Bank of England’s target, for the first time since July 2021.
Significant increases have been experienced in the price of food shopping, gas or electricity bills, the price of fuel and rent or mortgage costs affecting all but the very rich.
So is my holiday going to cost me more this year?
The short and unfortunate answer is yes, for most of us we will still be paying much more in 2024 than we did in 2023, due to higher costs and price rises put through by travel firms. However there is still time to lower the overall cost of your holiday and there are some straightforward tips to follow.
Try where possible to book in advance and plan ahead with all aspects of your trip from the flights to your airport parking.
- Check to see if your flights are better value when purchased as two single flights, even with different airlines, rather than automatically ticking the return box.
- Consider travelling on less popular days – can you start and finish your trip mid-week?
- Book your airport parking as soon as your have your flight organised and make sure you use the discount code mailed to your inbox.
Am I damaging the environment with my holiday?
There are several websites which can give you detailed advice on the greenest travel and some can calculate the carbon cost of your specific trip such as Green Travel Think about how you can be kinder to the environment during your holiday.
- Check that your tourism pounds benefit the local economy – spend local and help the country you wanted to visit.
- Be conscious of your own impact – never litter and recycle what you can.
- Use the infinite resources on the web to guide your choices: Leave No Trace, Refill HQ
Will my holiday be accessible?
As the world’s population ages and people are more active into their later lives, accessibility is a crucial requirement for every step of a holiday. The key to booking an accessible holiday is extensive research. Cruise ships, train stations and airport have all been required to conform to legislation which mandates a certain level of accessibility but travellers need to do their own research for their own mobility. For example I Love meet and greet offers airport parking on airport forecourts which provides excellent access to the terminal with no tight car parking spaces and lifts to negotiate.
- Use Trip Advisor and the specialist accessibility website, Euan’s Guide, for independent reviews of all the elements of your trip.
- Look for accommodation options that have been specifically designed for wheelchair users. Check for accessibility features such as wide doorways, level access showers, toilets with grab rails, and lift.
- Ensure you discuss your personal mobility and medical circumstances with the tour operator, airline and accommodation provider. There is an industry body checklist to give you an idea of what information you need.
By Stephen Forster at 14 Jul 2024