British holidaymakers are hesitating to plan their next city break in Europe due to the increase in the prices that are being especially felt this year.
According to a recent study commissioned by Norwegian Cruise Line, the average cost of a European city break amounts to over €1,100 per person, equivalent to a week-long seaside holiday in Spain for a family of three, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
As part of this study, around 1,500 who had taken a weekend getaway in the past three years were polled, with 50 per cent of them expressing hesitance to embark on another one due to the high prices.
The study further disclosed data on the accommodation and food expenses of those polled. Data show that those polled spent an average of €446 in accommodation alone and €267 on food during their trip.
Additionally, visiting popular attractions during the city break added another €212 to the total cost of the trip.
Consequently, 46 per cent of respondents are contemplating a change in their vacation approach, favouring longer holidays instead of multiple short trips throughout the year.
In addition to the above-mentioned, the study revealed that half of the participants believed that city breaks in Europe did not provide good value for money and, therefore, were reluctant to take any short trips in the near future.
Due to the high prices, the study further indicated that three out of ten citizens of the UK who participated in the survey aimed to maximise the value of their trips, leading many of them to abandon the idea of short city breaks entirely.
The director of sales in the UK and Ireland for Norwegian Cruise Line, Gary Anslow, acknowledged the challenges that have been posed by the increasing cost of travel.
Anslow said that while many British holidaymakers preferred to visit new destinations with each trip, a significant number of them favoured a mix of city exploration and poolside relaxation.
Anslow further highlighted the potential of inter-sailing, which allows travellers to visit various cities during a cruise holiday, offering the best of both worlds.
Regarding the most popular destinations, it has been revealed that Italy emerged as the top choice for holidaymakers planning their next trip to Europe, with Florence and Venice leading the way.
Reykjavik, Barcelona, and Lisbon were also popular destinations. However, even if some Brits chose to take short trips to these destinations, they said that they would consider not eating out as often and doing certain activities.