•    ‘Transformative Travel’, ‘Sunshine not Spaghetti’ and ‘Boomerang Travellers’ are amongst the travel trends to look out for this year 
•    With the cost-of-living crisis, Brits are willing to give up eating out (37%), takeaway food (35%) and their Netflix subscription (18%) to holiday abroad
•    One in four (26%) Brits over 55 want exploration holidays off the beaten track after being unable to travel during the pandemic
•    Trends identified by London Luton Airport show how cultural shifts will shape how Brits explore the world and create new travel habits driven by the rising cost of living, TV shows, and the need for new experiences 

It’s the year to say yes to adventure and London Luton Airport has released its predictions on what will define our holiday habits for 2023. The findings, identified from a poll of 2,000 Brits, reveal the latest travel trends to inspire you for 2023 and beyond. 

Supporting positive mental health continues to be a priority, as three-fifths (61%) of those surveyed confirm that taking a holiday abroad is important for their wellbeing. Brits are opting for Transformative Travel by choosing a holiday to get out of their comfort zone (20%), for a digital detox (16%) or a voyage of self-discovery/ transformation (14%). 

One in four (26%) over 55’s now want to explore more off the beaten track destinations, having seen their travel plans halted by covid. Likely to be empty nesters, a fifth (22%) are looking at backpacking, multi-destination holidays to visit untried locations, whilst by contrast 64% of millennials prefer a relaxing beach holiday. These Empty Nest Explorers said seeing local landmarks (77%) and trying local cuisines (65%) were activities that appealed to them the most on holiday. Furthermore, almost a third (30%) said they’d like their holiday to involve hiking and getting outdoors. 

The research suggests that Brits want Sunshine not Spaghetti and are willing to forgo eating out (37%) and plan to order takeaway food less (35%) to afford a holiday abroad. Beyond saving money spent on food, respondents were also willing to socialise less (21%) or cancel subscriptions e.g., Netflix (18%), to ensure they get their time in the sun. 

With the cost-of-living crisis, half (49%) of respondents have rethought their holiday plans for the year ahead. Of those, nearly one in four (23%) said they would still holiday abroad but head somewhere cheaper. Desperate to travel, but keen to watch the budget, Savvy Sightseeing sees almost half (44%) of Brits looking for holiday offers and deals. In a bid to be as cost-effective as possible, almost a third (28%) will book all parts of their holiday separately, from flights to hotels, to get the best prices. 

It’s better the devil you know for over a third (35%) of Brits as they plan on visiting destinations they’ve been to before. Dubbed Boomerang Travellers, respondents said they plan to revisit a destination because they know it is good value for money (38%) and they have knowledge of the journey (33%). As well as cost and familiarity, almost one in four (23%) double back on destinations as they can fly from their local airport. 

Jonathan Rayner, Chief Commercial Officer at London Luton Airport says, “Last year saw a continued rise in demand for air travel, with over 13 million leisure and business passengers travelling through London Luton Airport. With three new restaurant openings scheduled for the Spring, and several exciting new routes on our departure boards including our most recent additions, Amman and Istanbul, 2023 promises to be another exciting 12 months for LLA. 

“The findings of our travel trends survey illustrate not only the enormous appetite to travel abroad, but also the many different reasons behind how and why people choose to travel. From Empty Nest Explorers to Boomerang Travellers and Savvy Sightseers, our commitment is to deliver a consistently simple and friendly passenger experience.”

New destinations available from LLA include Amman, Dubrovnik, Sarajevo, Sharm El Sheik, Tallinn, Kefalonia and Istanbul.  

London Luton Airport’s Travel Trends for 2023:

1.    Sunshine not Spaghetti: Data shows that people are picking a holiday abroad over eating out as 37% say they plan on cutting down on meals out, with a further 35% reducing the number of takeaway meals they have.

2.    Savvy Sightseeing: Actively looking for ways to decrease the cost of a trip by using money saving methods like cashback services or offers. Almost half (44%) of those surveyed said they use offers and deals to get that fix of sunshine.  

3.    Empty Nest Explorers: People aged over 55 who want to travel the world and visit new and exciting destinations. One in four (26%) over 55’s want to explore more off the beaten track destinations after being unable to travel during covid, with over 1 in 10 (13%) looking for a complete culture shock.

4.    Boomerang Travellers: Over a third (35%) of Brits plan on revisiting destinations they’ve been to, with 21% of the 25 – 34-year-olds surveyed stating they don’t want to take a risk with a new destination, and 25% stating they know it’s good value for money. 

5.    Transformative Travels: For those wanting to use their holiday to reconnect with themselves and incorporate the growth from their trip into their day-to-day life. One in seven (14%) Brits said they want their holiday to be a voyage of self-discovery/ transformation, with 15% of 18–24-year-olds admitting they were looking for love on holiday. 

6.    Set-jetting: Travelling to destinations that have featured in well-known TV shows or films. Research found that one in six (17%) Brits would like to go on holiday to visit sets from their favourite TV shows. 

7.    Budget Brady Bunchers: Having to travel with your family to afford a trip abroad is on the up. One in five (20%) Brits are considering travelling with their parents or family members to share the cost of a holiday, increasing to 39% for those aged 25-34 likely to have young children. 

8.    Ruby Slippering: Choosing to travel in your home country rather than take a trip further afield. A fifth (19%) of Brits will staycation this year instead of going abroad, after 51% changed holiday plans due to cost-of-living crisis.

9.    See Eat Lay: For Brits the top 3 reasons to go on holiday in 2023 are seeing local landmarks (72%), trying local cuisine (63%) and relaxing on the beach or by the pool (55%). Fly and flop is losing popularity with just 1 in 10 (12%) saying they plan to stay put in their resort. 

10.     Sunshine Saving: Putting money aside to afford a holiday abroad in the future is the only way for some of our travellers. Over a quarter (27%) of Brits have a dedicated savings pot for their next holiday, while 22% save for their holidays a year or more in advance.

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors:

Survey of 2,000 nationally representative British adults, carried out by OnePoll between 6th and 12th January 2023

About London Luton Airport

London Luton Airport (LLA) is one of the UK's busiest airports, carrying over 13 million passengers in 2022.

The aiport is operated by a consortium of which the majority shareholder is AENA, the world's largest airport operator, and AMP Capital, a specialist global investment manager. Airlines include easyJet, Wizz Air, Ryanair, Tui, FlyOne, Sun Express and El Al.

Supporting London Luton Airport's focus on sustainable growth, this yearwill see the launch of a new electric-powered, energy-efficient light rail system linking LLA with Lutn Airport Parkway station. The service is being delivered by the airport's owner Luton Ruising and will reduce journey times between LLA and more than 60 stations across the Thameslink and East Midlands Rail networks, including 22 stations in Greater London.

London Luton Airport is ranked as the best performing company by GRESB, an internationally recognised sustainability framework that benchmarks environmental, social and governance (ESG) management and performance. LLA is ranked first among all participating assets, achieving a maximum score of 100 and a 5-star rating.

Contact Details:

London Luton Airport Press Office
01582 395333
pressoffice@ltn.aero

London Luton Airport – PR agency:
E: LLA@tinmancomms.com

URL: https://mediahub.london-luton.co.uk/news/24012023/london-luton-airport-predicts-2023-travel-trends