"Six million planning a break over the Bank Holiday"
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ABTA - The Travel Association today reveals that 6m, or one in ten, of the UK population will be taking advantage of the Queen's Jubilee bank holiday weekend, 2-5 June 2012, by taking a holiday break.
According to an independent YouGov survey conducted for ABTA, approximately 2.5m (4%) are also intending to hold a Jubilee party, potentially revisiting the scenes last seen in 1977 when whole streets closed to hold celebrations for her Majesty's Silver Jubilee.
With the bank holidays falling on Monday and Tuesday, many office workers will be taking advantage of the opportunity to take three days off to get nine straight days off work. Of those taking a holiday break, 6% of the population intend to stay in the UK, which will come as welcome news to the UK tourism industry as it celebrates English Tourism Week this week.
In the survey, 4% said they intended to head overseas for the bank holiday, which is similar to Easter travel numbers and it is likely that the roads, air and ferry ports will all be extremely busy. 18-24 year olds are the most likely to use the extended weekend as a holiday opportunity with 12% of them taking a UK or foreign break.
Not all of us will be holidaying, with 40% using the time off to relax at home. One in ten (11%) of us will be going into work as normal, with 35-44 year olds the most likely to have to go to work.
People in the South of England and in Wales appear to be the the most ardent royalists with 6% planning to attend a Jubilee party. The Scots seem to be the least affected by the whole Jubilee jamboree with only 3% planning a holiday break and just 1% a Jubilee party. They are also the most likely to be going into work as normal at 21%.
Mark Tanzer ABTA chief executive said: "The country clearly has a great deal of affection for the Queen with millions intending to have a Jubilee party. The extended June bank holiday will also provide a shot in the arm for the British travel industry with six million intending to take a break in the UK or overseas. Like last year's Royal Wedding, the Jubilee shows that extra bank holidays not only give us a chance to recharge our batteries but also give an extremely welcome boost to tourism and many parts of the wider economy."
