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If you do it carefully and with planning, staying in the UK won’t be as outrageously expensive as you first thought.
Back view of a woman walking towards the plane, ready to board and begin her vacation. Picture: iStock
The tourism industry in the UK is starting to get worried because it has seen a drop-off of more than £2 billion (just over R48 billion) in revenue compared to 2019, before the Covid pandemic hit.
It’s worried because many other tourist markets have bounced back well from the collapse of 2020–21 and are looking to post record revenues.
At the same time, there is concern that the government is about to cut the money it spends supporting Visit Britain, the tourism promotion organisation.
Visit Britain predicts that about 43 million tourists will come to the UK this year, generating more than £33 billion.
But, why the concern? Simply: the UK has become one of the most expensive destinations in the world. South African passport holders also have the pain of very expensive and frustrating-to-obtain tourist visas… but from this year, they are not going to be the only ones, as the UK will be introducing fees for electronic visas for most visitors from “acceptable” countries.
Travel operators in the UK feel as though the double whammy of visa fees and cutbacks for Visit Britain is shooting itself in the foot. Perhaps, though, you need to realise that either you have to lower your prices, or become more efficient – or both – to lure tourists away from the offerings of European neighbours, which are more affordable and, generally speaking, have far better weather.
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Budget tips for a better stay in the UK
Don’t get me wrong: if you do it carefully and with planning, staying in the UK won’t be as outrageously expensive as you first thought.
Self-catering accommodation (as opposed to bed-and-breakfast venues) is becoming more commonplace – and significantly better, in terms of amenities, compared to 20 years ago.
Interestingly, on recent trips to the UK, we found excellent self-catering places with prices not far off what you would pay in South Africa (even at 25 to one).
B&Bs can also be a good option because you meet friendly people (who’ll help with their local knowledge) and generally get a great breakfast to set you up for the day. Not for nothing is the “Full Monty” (English Breakfast) known as one of the best in the world.
Travelling around the UK won’t be cheap: fuel is the most expensive in Europe (especially when you buy it at a motorway “services” stop) and using trains to get around is also way more costly than across the channel – so much so that, in many cases, it is cheaper to fly between cities in the UK than it is to go by rail.
But, Rule Number One: eat out as little as possible. Even simple meals will gouge huge holes in your wallet.
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