No one can be certain why the number of mini-breaks taken in Britain jumped by more than 60 per cent this year, but great weather, squeezed household budgets and even the current vogue for glamping (link) are said to have all played a part.
The popularity of the four-day mini-break appears to have been at the expense of the traditional two-week family summer holiday. The overseas holiday has been on the wane since 2010, and, according to the Office of National Statistics, travel to long-haul destinations fell last year by 5 per cent.
The swing towards these so-called staycations has wider benefits than simply boosting local economies; holidaymakers will have re-discovered the beauty of the British Isles and are likely to have taken a greener break to boot.
On every return flight to New York, each traveller is responsible for emitting about 1.2 tons of CO2, which happens to be the same amount as the individual’s suggested ‘carbon budget’ – the emissions from an entire year of living. If we fly, air travel overshadows all our other actions.
Winter breaks
Powered for the most part by French nuclear power, the Eurostar train offers a low-carbon alternative to air travel. This coming ski season, you can hop on the Eurostar ski train at St Pancras in London or Ashford International in Kent and be whisked direct to the French Alps at 186mph. The ski stations at Courchevel, La Plagne, Tignes, Meribel and Les Arcs, all a short coach ride from the train station.
Travel insurance with winter sports included costs only £12.51 for a four-day skiing or snowboarding trip to Europe. Get an instant quote
Greenest skiing
What if mountains were on your doorstep? What if you used your skis to get about… even when there was no snow? Even on tarmac.
All.I.Can is a though-provoking film that compares the challenges of big mountain skiing to the challenges of global climate change. Shot on 6 continents, the world’s best skiers deliver inspirational performances while ground-breaking cinematography expands our vision of the natural world.
JP Auclair Street Segment (from All.I.Can.) from Sherpas Cinema on Vimeo.
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