19/12/05 - More working couples holiday apart - farmers
More and more working couples are taking holidays apart. Research by Mintel has shown that a third of all the 4.2 million Britons who took a holiday alone last year were married (or living with a partner). Pressure of work and the availability of a wider range of holidays are cited as the main reasons for holidaying alone.
Dairy farmers, Clifton and Brenda Lampard, owners of Tiveys Farm in Leicestershire, are a good example of the new type of traveller. Brenda said "we often find it impossible to get away on holiday together but the variety of special holidays for single people has made it possible for me to take holidays in places I have always wanted to go, such as China and Australia, safe in the knowledge that there is someone there to help out should the need arise".
Just You, the UK's biggest operator of accompanied holidays for single travellers are benefiting from the new attitudes to travel . MD Mark Watts explains: "our bookings are showing a dramatic increase of over 25% on last year and the feedback from our customer service team is that the biggest growth is amongst married people taking a holiday without their partner.
"There is no doubt that attitudes are changing and more and more people are prepared to indulge their desire to see the world."
The Mintel report highlighted the main reasons why people can be put off from taking a singles holiday, they are:
Having to pay single room supplements
Single rooms are perceived to be lower quality
A sense of social awkwardness
Just You are able to address these issues directly. There are no single supplements and wherever possible double rooms are contracted for single occupancy. Taking a holiday alone is a big step for many to take, so all Just You holidays include the services of a carefully chosen tour manager to make sure each individual gets the best from their holiday.