2009 may have been the year of the ‘staycation’, but as consumer confidence continues to rise1, 2010 looks set to be the year of the ‘experience holiday’.  Recent research, conducted by leading car hire company Avis Europe, found that 13% of Brits are planning to take holidays with a cultural or educational theme and almost a fifth are opting for an adventure or sporting holiday this year.

The Avis research indicated that whilst the recession hasn’t dampened consumers’ desire to travel, it has had a significant impact on the type of breaks we will be booking. For example, travellers are looking to maximise their holiday experience with cultural, educational or well-being themes with 37% of Brits preferring to take holidays based around more than one type of activity.

The study also found a desire for travellers to create their itinerary and have flexibility in the number of destinations they visit with a significant 84% opting for the freedom to travel independently.

Nick Mountfield, Head of Marketing from Avis UK comments: “In 2009 we saw many consumers opting to holiday in their own country, but now we are seeing signs of economic stabilisation, leisure travellers are once again looking to explore foreign shores.

“Spring is the perfect time for the first getaway of the year and we are already seeing limited availability of car hires as consumers look to firm up their travel plans. While traditional beach and city breaks are still proving popular, a significant number of travellers are looking to make more of their time away by either taking in more venues at their chosen destination or undertaking more fulfilling activities during their break.”

Nick continues:  “We understand that for many leisure travellers, hiring a car is the ideal way to achieve the freedom and flexibility they need to make the most of their time away - allowing them to choose where they go and how long for, and providing the ability to really explore their holiday destinations.

“However, we also recognise that we still need to try harder for our customers to help them get the best value for money.  With this in mind, we are offering some great value deals this spring, enabling our customers to travel from as little as £19 per day worldwide.

“We also offer a range of initiatives, all designed to help our customers manage their budget more efficiently and ensure that all of our charges are as transparent as possible, allowing them to simply enjoy their journey.”