Barnard Castle noticeably absent from UK’s Staycation Bucket List for 2020

Cornwall has been revealed as the number one choice for a UK staycation in 2020, according to new research.

The study, from specialist motorhome and campervan insurance broker, Comfort Insurance, used UK Google search trend data to find out more about the nation’s domestic summer 2020 getaway plans.

As restrictions around travel and leisure activities within the UK are gradually eased, holiday bookings have naturally begun to surge, offering a much-needed boost to the economy following reports that an estimated £22bn is expected to be erased from the UK’s domestic tourism industry, due to the coronavirus restrictions.

With a reported 73% of Brits stating that they will choose to holiday in the UK, even after Coronavirus travel restrictions have been lifted, the UK hospitality and tourism industry may see a welcome boost from UK travellers opting to holiday closer to home for several years to come. But which locations will they be favouring?

Comfort Insurance used search trend data to create a list of the most popular locations for UK holiday makers planning a staycation.

The Cornish coastal town of St. Ives laid claim to the number one spot, with an average of 121,000 monthly searches over the last 90 days. The Norfolk Broads (5,400 avg. monthly searches), Lancaster (5,400 avg. monthly searches), Wales (4,400 avg. monthly searches) and Newquay (3,600 avg. monthly searches) made up the top five.

For those hoping for a quieter getaway this summer, Hull (30 avg. monthly searches), Cheltenham (30 avg. monthly searches), Appledore (20 avg. monthly searches) and the South Downs (20 avg. monthly searches) were some of the least searched-for UK locations for a holiday, based on data covering the past 90 days.

Surprisingly, despite boasting 368,000 searches in May 2020 alone, one such location that is noticeably missing from the top twenty list, despite its recent stint in the limelight, was Barnard Castle*.