8 Daily Express Friday, August 23, 2019
DX1ST
Staycation
Britons to
give economy
a £2bn bank
holiday boost
Quality
IT is great to see that record
numbers of us are planning to
stay in Britain this Bank
Holiday weekend.
The warm weather forecast
will provide the perfect
opportunity for visitors to get
out and about and enjoy our
outstanding destinations,
visitor attractions and events.
Our “trip tracker” survey for
this weekend showed 8.
million Britons were planning
an overnight holiday trip in the
UK, the highest since this
survey began in 2012, bringing
an estimated £2.1billion boost
to the economy.
The latest official domestic
tourism statistics also show
record numbers of Brits have
been taking holidays at home.
However, statistics show
that 16 to 34-year-olds have
the lowest growth for taking
holidays at home during the
past decade.
We are targeting this “lost
generation” to ignite the
passion for domestic travel
through a campaign called
“microgapping”,
inspiring them to
take a holiday at
home and build
a habit that will
last a lifetime.
COMMENT
PATRICIA YATES
Director VisitBritain
By Mark Cardwell
By Giles Sheldrick
Chief Reporter
Tragic Betty in hospital
Widow, 93, whose home was burgled
by fake police dies of broken heart
A 93-YEAR-OLD woman whose
house was burgled by three men
posing as police officers has died from
a broken heart.
The trio ransacked widow Betty
Munroe’s Northampton house late on
June 11 and stole her jewellery, includ-
ing a gold chain from her neck.
The formerly independent pensioner
suffered post-traumatic stress disorder,
plagued by nightmares, sickness
and shaking.
Mrs Munroe was later admitted to
hospital with heart trouble and was
eventually diagnosed with takotsubo
syndrome, also known as “broken
heart syndrome”. She died this week.
Her family said: “The violent actions
of these callous individuals robbed her
not only of precious possessions, but
of her sense of security and peace and
the will to go on.”
Det Insp Simon Barnes, of
Northampton CID, appealed for infor-
mation, adding: “This is one of the sad-
dest cases I have come across.”
English beauty...
sunflowers in
West Sussex
FREE-SPENDING Britons are set to
give the economy a £2.1billion boost
over the course of a record-breaking
weekend, new figures show.
Already 8.6million people have
booked bank holiday getaways here
in the UK – the highest number
since 2012 – as temperatures soar to
91F (33C).
Buoyed on by brilliant weather,
unrivalled attractions and poor for-
eign exchange rates, experts said
families now realised British holidays
offer the best value in the world.
The record number now opting to
holiday at home is significantly more
than the 7.3million who plumped for
a staycation last year and the 6.9mil-
lion who stayed put in 2017, accord-
ing to a survey by VisitBritain.
And they won’t be disappointed,
with this weekend due to top the lot.
Director Patricia Yates said: “It is
great to see more Brits are planning
a holiday at home this long weekend
and will be out enjoying the out-
standing destinations right on our
doorstep, boosting businesses and
local economies. From our stunning
countryside and coastal towns to our
vibrant cities, the UK is packed
full of experiences that you
can’t get anywhere else.
“We are hearing
from many destina-
tions and tourism
businesses that
they are experienc-
ing a strong sum-
mer with late
bookings also on
the rise this year.
“The certainty of
budgeting for a holiday
at home, the ease and
convenience and the quality
on offer are all contributing to
people choosing to take more
domestic trips, spreading the bene-
fits of tourism across the UK.”
The picture is much brighter than
the August Bank Holiday Trip-Tracker
survey suggests because a further
7.9million people are still undecided
about whether to take an overnight
trip over the long weekend.
Of those undecided 42 per cent
said they are waiting
to see what the
weather is like, mean-
ing a bonanza for millions
of pubs, restaurants, small busi-
ness and the Great British high street.
Dan Harris, of the Met Office, said:
“August has been mixed so far with
some rather unsettled spells for many.
However, that will change this week-
end as we’ll see high temperatures,
sunshine and light winds return.
“Tomorrow and Sunday there will
be plenty of sunshine. It will be
warmest in South-eastern parts
through a cam
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