UK travel agents are pushing for a significant adjustment to school vacation schedules in a bid to help families save money. Advantage Travel Partnership, representing over 4,000 travel agents, is advocating for a drastic reform of the school holiday system to prevent families with children in state schools from being overcharged.
Currently, there is a substantial price increase for holidays taken in late July and August, coinciding with the majority of UK schoolchildren being on summer break. Families risk paying an extra £388 per person if they travel outside of school holidays. A recent study revealed that a family of four could spend an average of £716 more if they vacation during school breaks compared to term time, with costs escalating further during the six-week summer recess.
The inflated expenses have led some families to consider paying fines for unauthorized absences during term time. To address this issue, Advantage Travel Partnership’s CEO, Julia Lo Bue-Said, is urging the Department for Education to revise the school holiday calendar. The proposal aims to allow families the flexibility to travel at different times, distributing demand and potentially lowering prices.
Lo Bue-Said highlights the dilemma faced by many British families: deciding between pricey, overcrowded summer vacations or risking fines by taking children out of school during term time. She emphasizes the need for a practical solution amid changing climate patterns and evolving travel preferences.
One potential solution suggested is shortening summer breaks and extending the May half-term or staggering half-term holidays nationwide, similar to practices in countries like Sweden. The current system disproportionately affects families with children in state schools compared to private schools, which often have longer holidays enabling cheaper travel options in June and early July.
Lo Bue-Said stresses the importance of initiating a national dialogue on this issue, especially with the increasing popularity of shoulder season travel in May and September. She points out that the traditional Mediterranean destinations have become less appealing during school holidays due to higher summer temperatures.
In conclusion, a collaborative effort between the travel industry and policymakers is essential to explore solutions that make family vacations more accessible and affordable for a broader range of families.