WideWorld Bulletin

Our topical round-up

How did travel fare this summer?

As autumn arrives, analysts are looking back on summer holidaying trends – did the seemingly cheap and eco-friendly ‘staycation’ triumph or did an appetite for adventure preside?

‘Staycation’ problems

A YouGov survey has reported that 54% of Brits plan to take their 2010 summer holiday in the UK. But many have fallen out of love with the staycation (that’s stay-at-home-vacation), criticising disappointing weather, traffic and hidden expenses. Travel agent executives suggest those still planning holidays at home are doing so not out of choice but necessity: citing unemployment and fear of swine flu as major factors.

Twitter maps our travels

Twitter has mapped holidaying Brits. Whilst 16% staycationed on our emerald isle, for the majority the grass was greener elsewhere - with the top 2 destinations New York and Vancouver. The UK did get a look in though, with St. Ives and London in 4th and 5th place for the more patriotic tweeters. But with BTOpenzone launching Wi-Fi at campsites across the UK for the Bank Holiday last weekend, we may start to see tweeting closer to home.

Landmark ignorance

A survey on landmark knowledge amongst Brits has confirmed that most haven’t been spending the summer months reacquainting ourselves with national treasures: 49% didn’t know the location of Stonehenge, and 61% couldn’t even recognise Windsor Castle. However, international knowledge was better, 95% knew that the Eiffel Tower was in Paris, and 80% could correctly recognise Rome’s Colosseum.

Grubbing food away

Whilst we’re still travelling, research shows the purse strings are tightening - with a trend towards ‘packed lunch holidays’. Not only are Brits packing food supplies in their cases (1 in 5 take Marmite, 58% tea bags), but over 40% admitted to stashing supplies away from hotel breakfast buffets for later in the day. Further research reported Americans are favouring penny-saving holiday tactics too – naming staying with relatives and choosing off-peak dates as particular trends of note.

Earliest transatlantic Brit

Researchers at Bristol University this week suggested the British have always had a passion for travel: a 1499 letter has providing evidence for the first voyage of an Englishman to North America. The letter, written by Henry VII to a minister, refers to William Weston’s impending voyage to ‘the new found land’. It is believed that Weston’s voyage can be counted as the first Northwest Passage expedition.