UK domestic tourism .../and Weather!!!!

[Big Sis..]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/25282 ... ummer.html

''Online tourism operator Lastminute.com says domestic holiday bookings are up 16 per cent since this time last summer with Britons opting to spend their holidays in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, the Isle of Wight and Wales''.

[alifrank1]

I'm not too sure they will want to do the same next year after this summer's washout

[Big Sis..]

OOh Ally

The weathers great here in Norfolk at the mo....[not] Thunderstorms and Torrential rain.

But us British are always the optimists arent we

[la vache!]

To quote from an enquiry last week for 2009

Hello Susan

We are being ultra organised and planning our holiday for next year (prompted by the appalling weather here in Devon!).

[Big Sis..]

I do think its been worse in the Devon area.
My Niece had just arrived from Plymouth where its been awful[you OK Kathy??] apparently.
I told her shes bought it with her

Its been a bit hit and miss here but we did have a nice week the end of July[seems a distant memory Im afraid]

Whats it like in France??

[Rocket Rab]

With the weather as it is in south-west France today, you might as well stay in the UK.... The food 'n wine aren't bad, though, and probably cheaper

[Margaret]

We have had very (traditional) English weather here this summer - very mixed sunshine and rain. But on the whole, certainly better than this summer in the UK. The bonus is the spectacular mountain thunder storms, which are improved by being at night and the guests love them! At least most people don't come here expecting beach weather.

[Rocket Rab]

Actually, 99% of the Brits who do get a bit of rain on the island (Ré) - the ones unlucky enough not to get the full benefit of the microclimate, that is - deserve a big fat 10/10 for patient stoicism. We generally find they acclimatise so much better than our French guests, for example, who (understandably) tend to be more disappointed. The Brits will get their macs and jumpers out and just get on with it, bless 'em. And, when you see them at the end of a week of rain, they'll tell you the weather "hasn't been bad", or, when temperatures get past 21°C, that "it's been fantastic, and too hot to go out with the kids in the afternoon...". Which always makes us chuckle. Easy-care guests, what more could you ask for? Oh yes, I know! Guests who leave everything beautifully clean and tidy, as well..Dream on, Rab

[alifrank1]

Maybe I shouldn't complain about the relentless heat in Spain at the moment then I came over a couple of weeks ago to catch up on all the running repairs, deep clean etc and so far have done zilch It's just toooooo hot!

[Rocket Rab]

Maybe I shouldn't complain about the relentless heat in Spain at the moment then

Er, no. Blow some up here, can you, please?? Although relentless heat brings a whole new set of probs... I'm thinking messy, sticky, staining sun tan lotion....

[KathyG]

I do think its been worse in the Devon area.
My Niece had just arrived from Plymouth where its been awful[you OK Kathy??] apparently.
I told her shes bought it with her

She must have done Ros, clear blue skies today but it's blowing a gale, great drying day. Sad isn't it, when you're excited that you can get your towels dry.

[Marks]

Currently 36C/97F here on the Costa Blanca. It's 30C on my shady terrace which faces east and loses the sun from about 10am. Too hot to do anything......... Even my sun loving Dalmatian is indoors, sprawled on the floor in the direct path of a fan on full speed

I can hear the electricity meter in my apartment spinning round furiously as guests crank up the air con

[la vache!]

We seem to keep dodging the forecast rain, but it is a lot 'fresher' today than it has been. And huge gusts of wind keep blowing my once beautiful geranuims off the window sills of the gites
But so far, a much, much hotter summer than last year, overall

[Windy]

I suppose it's only fair that given that you foreigners have all the problems with the credit squeeze, oil prices etc, that we home renters get a bit of trouble from the weather!


I have to say from a purely selfish p.o.v. that I was really hoping for a great summer as it would have done the domestic tourist industry the world of good.

[Partridge]

Ahhhh RR, your post makes me proud to be British, we just get on with it with our proverbial stiff upper lip, why the Aussies call us whinging Poms is beyond me

Have to say, my OD hits have shot up the last week or so, must be the weather, or more of those last minute 'gissa discount' guests.