Essential escapes: Britons view their annual holiday as a necessity rather than a luxury

Many Britons view an annual getaway as a necessity, and anticipate spending more on holidays in 2014 - according to new research.
People would rather cut back on clothes, gadgets, DIY and eating out than sacrifice their annual trip abroad.

Non-negotiable: British travellers are not prepared to sacrifice their annual overseas holiday

In the survey by ABTA - The Travel Association, consumers were asked to prioritise the items on which they spend their money. Holidays came top.
One in five people said that an overseas holiday was a necessity (21 per cent) while one in ten said they couldn’t do without a holiday in the UK (11 per cent).
When asked about their travel plans for 2014, one in five (19 per cent) anticipated that they will spend more on holidays next year compared to 16 per cent who anticipated that they will spend less.
But the average number of holidays taken per person by Britons both at home and abroad in the last 12 months fell slightly compared to the same time period the previous year.
UK consumers took an average of 3.1 holidays in the UK or overseas, a decrease from 3.5 in 2012.
The “Baby Boomers” bucked this trend, with those aged 55-64 taking more breaks per person in the past 12 months than the previous year.
The most significant decrease was amongst young travellers aged 16-24, who took an average of one holiday per person less than last year - down from 4.7 on average in 2012 to 3.7 in 2013.
Two thirds of this age group (66 per cent) appeared to be making the most of the ‘bank of mum and dad’ by holidaying with their families.
But holidaying with friends was most popular travel options for the under 35s - the research showing almost a third (30 per cent) choosing to travel with friends.

Home comforts: Seven in ten British holidaymakers took a break on UK soil last year

Those with young families were the most likely to take a holiday with their extended family, perhaps hoping to take advantage of babysitting benefits from the grandparents.
The two groups most likely to travel alone were the over 65s (14 per cent) and those aged 25-34 (13 per cent).
People in Wales and Northern Ireland took the fewest holidays while Scottish travellers and those in the North West took the most per person. Londoners were also regular visitors to overseas shores, with 13 per cent of Londoners taking four or more foreign holidays in the past twelve months.
Package holidays remained popular with 46 per cent of holidaymakers opting for an overseas package holiday. 'Staycations' were also popular, with seven in ten consumers taking at least one domestic break and 16 per cent taking four or more.
But the number of domestic holidays per person was slightly down compared with the same period in 2012, suggesting that people chose to enjoy the heatwave in their homes and gardens.
Peace of mind was the most important factor for holidaymakers when it came to booking their trip, with protection and reassurance taking priority over low prices.
Safe and secure accommodation was the highest priority (86 per cent), followed by financial protection (79 per cent) and ATOL protection (77 per cent).
Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive said: “It’s clear that Britons are still keen to preserve their main annual holiday."
"The heatwave undoubtedly had an impact on the lates market as after many poor summers in the UK people chose to enjoy the weather at home, which may go some way to explain the slight decrease in the number of holidays taken per person.

“However, there is more optimism for next year with a greater number of consumers anticipating that they will spend more on holidays than those anticipating they will spend less, which is a shift in attitudes compared with last year.”