Millions of Easter holiday makers to give British economy massive boost: VisitEngland

Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-18 03:11:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan
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LONDON, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Around 7.4 million people are planning an overnight-stay holiday in Britain during this weekend's Easter holiday, VisitEngland said Wednesday.

A tracker survey released Wednesday shows that people in Britain heading to coasts, scenic areas and tourism cities will bring an estimated 2.35-billion-U.S. dollar boost to the British economy.

VisitEngland said the figures are the highest since this survey began in 2013. Last year 4.8 million people in Britain planned to take an overnight holiday trip during Easter compared to 2015 when it was 4.6 million.

Easter is the one of the biggest public holiday periods in Britain, starting Friday and continuing into Monday, traditionally kicking off the holiday season.

Tourism Minister Michael Ellis said: "The UK has world-class cities, stunning landscapes, fascinating museums and historic sites that millions of people flock to each year. It is great to see that so many people are planning a staycation this Easter where they will enjoy and explore superb destinations across the country."

VisitEngland Director Patricia Yates said: "It is great to see so many Brits are planning holidays at home in the UK, bringing a boost for businesses and local economies as the summer season gets underway."

Yates explained that holidaying at home continues to be a great choice with the certainty of budgeting, the ease and convenience and the quality on offer all tempting people to explore beyond their doorstep.

This year's Easter Trip Tracker survey also found that more than seven million people in Britain are still undecided about whether to take an overnight trip during Easter, with almost a third of those waiting to see what the weather is like.

VisitEngland has focused this year on getting more young people to take short-breaks at home by promoting "microgapping" experiences and activities typically taken during a gap-year that can be condensed into a short domestic break of one-to-three nights in Britain.

"Statistics show that 16-to-34 year olds have the lowest growth across all age groups for taking holidays at home during the last decade," said a VisitEngland spokeswoman.

VisitEngland is targeting this "lost generation" to ignite the passion for domestic travel in young people, inspiring them to take a holiday at home and throughout their lifetimes.

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