It’s holiday time! Deciding to go abroad and actually planning a trip takes time, but then throw the school term schedule into the mix (a real curve ball) and you’ve got yourself a logistical nightmare! Or have you? On the Beach are proud to offer a guide to taking advantage of those school holidays and how they can work in your holiday favour….
Essentially, when you book a holiday, you want to get the most value for your money. Often, this means pulling the kids out of school during the term to avoid the crowds and high prices of school holiday travel. A recent Tesco Bank survey reported that about 44% of UK parents take their children out of school for travel during term time. But, it’s no wonder! Paying peak travel prices for beach holidays, cruises, ski trips and other popular school holiday destinations isn’t ideal for any parent! Especially if you are on a budget.
With this trend bound to continue, head teachers all over the UK are under pressure to improve their absentee ratings and frown upon children missing classes, with some districts even charging parents a fine of £50 or more for failing to get their kids to school. This is making it harder than ever for parents to justify taking children out of school for travel during term time….
If paying a fine for taking your children on a trip or making your kids do homework while on holiday aren’t exactly the most appealing of prospects, your best bet is to search for great deals on school holiday travel. Many resorts offer “kids stay free” deals (check out our selection! http://www.onthebeach.co.uk/l/family-holidays) with free meals for kids travelling with adults, or pay-ahead all-inclusive holidays that lock in a discounted rate. Some resorts also offer room upgrades, bonus-night deals and include activities – all at the start of popular school holidays. Planning ahead pays off, as well-you’re likely to be left out in the cold if you wait until the last minute because resorts and hotels fill up quickly around peak school holiday travel times.
Some regions of the UK still have occasions where their schools are on holiday whilst the rest of the country is still working! For example, if you live in Scotland or the Isle of Man, your school holidays are slightly different to England’s, providing a great chance to get away! It might be little extreme to move to these locations just for this reason though….
It’s all about where you decide to holiday, too. The most popular bookings made by parents looking to take the kids abroad during the school vacation remain Greece, Turkey, Spain and Ibiza holidays so maybe instead opt for a different location this year. Think Egypt, Portugal, Italy or even Bulgaria. Heading to a slightly different destination can make a significant dent to your holiday bill. These destinations also have a great availability, offering a great range of flexible dates.
Wherever you go….make it On the Beach!
