I contribute to many forums (or is it fora - Latin never was my strong point!). One of my favourites is Spanish Property Insight (http://www.spanishpropertyinsight.com/forums/index.php) run by a guy called Mark Stucklin. Mark writes for the Sunday Times and often appears on TV. One of the more interesting threads on the forum is about the pound/euro exchange rate and will it have a negative impact on tourist numbers in Spain. My personal opinion is that it will, even to the extent that I have posted on the thread stating that we are not going to have our usual Spanish sun holiday this year. Having a place in the Lakes gives us the "low cost" Summer holiday option.
The problem lies of course with the weather. I know that if the we experience the same "Summer" weather as last year then there will be increasing pressure from my wife to get our "sun fix". The omens on the weather don't look good. It is still to my mind unseasonably cold and to hear the forecasters predict snow, sleet and hailstones just makes things seem worse.
I do believe many people will forgo their 2 weeks in the sun this year. It is not just the poor exchange rate that will put people, but all the other gloomy economic news as well that is making people think twice. I guess it will ultimately come down to the weather. If it is as bad as last year then many people may well say sod it and book a last minute holiday. What really does not help is the fact that the UK is not really a cheap option anyway. I guess many will just stay at home and "go out for days".
What do you think?
Kevin
Hi Kevin, with the 'each to his own' philosophy, I appreciate that many many people go abroad for their 'fix'of sun and sea BUT we tried it once - and true Greece was lovely, full of history, fantastic scenery and so on and we had a holiday to remember forever. That was 28 years ago and although the only down side was that we were held up in Athens airport for the return leg for only an hour or so we declared it would probably be our first and last, at least for a very long time. Not least because we then had a family and the money dried up so couldn't afford it. Our holidays before and after that one have been in the UK with the motto - have car will travel - and we have done just that, almost all over this wonderful place called Britain. Okay the weather is predictably unpredictable, but who cares - it also rains in Spain you know, and not only just on the Plain!! - You don't need to spend a lot on holiday here at home and we have such diverse and wonderful scenery of our own that you don't need to go overseas for the wow factor. For those who convince themselves that holidays are better abroad 'Grass is Greener' always comes to mind!! If you think about it, for the joe bloggs' type of average holiday here or abroad it is still usually cheaper here as the cost of a s/c unt(such as ours or caravans) is for the entire family, not per person. There was never any comparison for us as a family between the two - UK always won. For those very lean times yes we did the day trips and had a fabulous time. Give me Woolacombe Bay any day. At Fallbarrow, I had a family with two young teenage girls enquire about our lodge and wanted to book it there and then, when the girls saw it and its position they went wax lyrical because it was just what they wanted. They were fed up with sun, sea and nothing else to do on holidays abroad which proved to us that our children didn't miss out on a thing. I could go on and on and on about the UK that's why we have eventually invested heavily in our own holiday home in the Lakes, just as you have. However I don't have the time now because I am prepping our next trip which starts on the M5 tomorrow morning at 4.30am - might see you up there.
- S