Brits splurge record amounts on staycations and overseas holidays – but can we keep on spending?

Oct. 16, 2025 - PRLog -- The last few years have been challenging for many Brits. There's no wonder we look forward to a little time away from city life. That's reflected in the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) consumer trends report. It reveals that we spent record amounts on holiday staycations last year and that our spending overseas only fell slightly short of 2023's record amount.

The report reveals that Brits spent £183.1bn on hotels in 2024 and £40.4bn on other types of accommodation, from B&Bs to short-term holiday lets. Both these amounts smashed our spending totals for 2023, which were themselves a record high. Back in 2023, we spent £175.1bn on hotels and £38.7bn on other accommodation.

Johanna Jernberg, a travel expert from the specialist accommodation finder UniversityRooms.com, says: 'Brits also splashed the cash on foreign holidays last year. We spent a staggering £78.8bn when abroad, although even that didn't quite beat 2023's £79.8bn record spend.

'However, with the economic news remaining gloomy and concerns about more pain to come in the Autumn Budget, many people will be wondering if they can still afford the same sort of holidays as previous years.

'That's why an intriguing budget alternative to hotels and holiday lets has been soaring in popularity in recent years. University accommodation in many of Britain's towns and cities, not to mention great locations in Italy and Spain, stand empty at the height of summer. This means you can enjoy staying in Oxford and Cambridge's historic colleges or Edinburgh at the peak of the Festival season.

'For example, even this Christmas, Mansfield College (https://www.universityrooms.com/en-GB/city/oxford/college...) in Oxford has rooms available. Mansfield is one of the smallest of the 39 University of Oxford colleges and is ideally located in a leafy part of central Oxford, just five minutes' walk from the historic city centre. Including bed and breakfast, standard rooms are £94.50 a night and en suites just £105 a night this December.

'Those seeking summer sun need look no further than Spain's excellent universities, often situated in the areas most popular with British tourists. For example, accommodation is available next summer in Málaga, Spain's sixth-largest city and a hothouse of culture. It also boasts 16 beaches. The Residencia Universitaria Alberto Jiménez Fraud comprises 90 apartments, with twin en suite apartments now available to book for July 2026 from £62.20 a night.

For more information on how to enjoy a UK holiday while keeping costs down, see: https://www.universityrooms.com/en-GB/travelinspiration/how-to-have-a-family-holiday-in-the-uk-on-a-shoestring-budget