Young Brits fleeing UK this weekend ‘to escape the King’s coronation’

Bookings for destinations such as Amsterdam, Benidorm, Barcelona and Prague have skyrocketed as travel firms report a surge of 400 percent since last year.  

The demand for bookings to short-haul destinations such as Amsterdam, Benidorm, Barcelona, and Prague has rocketed, as young Brits are trying to get out of the UK during King Charles’ coronation ceremony, this weekend. 

According to recent data by Last Night of Freedom, a travel firm from the UK, “Short-haul jaunts to a host of European city break hotspots are up as much as 400 per cent over the coronation weekend”.  

Matt Mavir, Managing Director of Last Night of Freedom, stated that “Many customers have specifically said they wanted to travel this weekend in order to escape the King’s coronation, as they feared it would all be a bit too much at home”.  

Millions of people across the UK will be throwing street parties on Saturday, as they watch the ceremony where King Charles officially takes the throne.  

Everyone from Heads of state, members of the Royal Families, and hundreds of VIPs will assemble at Westminster Abbey for the extravagant ceremony, which would be the first coronation in the UK in 70 years.  

But Mavir stated that “Many younger Brits are seemingly not bothered”, adding, “The extra bank holiday, coupled with what some people think is OTT coronation coverage, has definitely steered people towards choosing this weekend for their stag or hen,” 

He also said, “One best man told our staff that the idea of being in Britain made him miserable.” 

Mavir added, “He said if he didn’t have a stag do to plan, he’d have just hopped on the first plane he could find and fly back Tuesday morning for work”.

Industry data suggests that Benidorm in Spain will host almost twice as many stag parties as anywhere else in Europe this weekend.  

Trips to other parts in Spain such as Barcelona have also rocketed by a staggering 400 per cent.  

In Amsterdam, there has reportedly been an increase of over 300 per cent in bookings, compared to the same weekend last year, while in Prague, it has increase by 66 percent, compared to 2022.

However, data also suggests that booking in London have reduced by two-thirds this weekend.  

Mavir said “For many people, this is a momentous occasion, but I think for some younger people, they’d rather be anywhere else”.  

Recent data by YouGov shows that, while overall, 60 per cent of the public believe the monarchy to be good for Britain, that falls notably among adults aged under 49. 

Polls revealed this week also suggest that 12 per cent of adults, between 18 and 24 years, consider that Charles will be a good king, however, 44 percent think that he won’t.