The World Cup effect is a reality, not a myth, in the travel industry. Bookings for June and early July holidays are down, as football fans prefer to monitor their teams’ progress from the comfort of home or the pub.
But England’s demise has changed all that. While some supporters are sticking close to the television to see if South American giants such as Argentina or Brazil can regain the crown from Europe, many followers of the England team have decided that they deserve a break.
Within an hour of England’s defeat to Germany, lowcostholidays.com reported a sudden surge in web traffic, a 40 per cent increase compared with the previous week. Matt Hall, product manager, says: “We knew that many customers were waiting to see how far England progressed before they committed to a holiday in the sun. The huge disappointment of England’s defeat meant that they didn’t waste any time — and there are some amazing deals out there for them.”
Here is a selection of some of the best:
British Isles
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A converted barn for six, reached by a farm track, surrounded by fields yet within a ten-minute drive of Padstow and North Cornwall beaches, is reduced to £502 for a week from July 3 with Cornish Traditional Cottages. A ground-floor flat for four, with sea views in the heart of Mevagissey, is also on offer for a week from July 3 and 10 for £488. 01208 821666
Hadrian’s Wall, the Pennines and Lake District are in easy reach of Tottergill Farm Cottages, near Castle Carrock, Cumbria, where Low Barn, which sleeps four, costs £347 for a three-night break from July 2. Part of the Premier Cottages group, Tottergill also has Watson, a spacious new luxury property for six, with good views, available in July for £1,200 for a week. 01228 670615
After watching England, fans might long to get back to nature with two days of bushcraft living and woodcraft skills with Firefox Bushcraft. The course on July 17 and 18, based in Snowdonia National Park, starts on Saturday at 9am, ending at 4.30pm on Sunday and costs £150 with all activities, meals and overnight camping. Day course on July 24 and B&B: £105. 01341 430336
Guests at the Four Seasons Hotel on the banks of Loch Earn, Perthshire, can appreciate what nature has to offer by booking a garden break which includes entry to 11 gardens and dinner, B&B for three nights. Prices start at £228 when staying in a chalet and £276 in a hotel room. 01764 685333
Short haul
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All-inclusive breaks for a week in July are among the good deals on offer with lowcostholidays.com. Prices in the lively resort of Marmaris, Turkey, start at £212 with flights from Gatwick; in a three-star hotel in Majorca at £270 and in the three-star Club Cala Tarida Hotel, Ibiza, at £257, also with flights from Gatwick.
0800 1116271
A five-star break in Tunisia from July 4 for a week is now £445 with Voyages Jules Verne. Fly from Gatwick for B&B in the Radisson Blu Resort beside a beach and near the seaside resorts of Sousse and Monastir. 0845 1667035
A break in Germany might not be a popular idea but Cologne is a fine city combining history and modernity. Two nights in a four-star hotel with a flight from Heathrow cost from £289 until the end of July with Dertour. 020-7290 1111
A week in Dubrovnik from July 4 is on offer from £375 with Balkan Holidays. It includes flights from a choice of English airports, half-board in a four-star hotel and coincides with an exhibition tennis match between John McEnroe and Goran Ivanisevic. 0845 5201263
Long haul
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The Tarpon Tale Inn, in a secluded setting on Sanibel Island on the west coast of Florida, offers five luxury cottages available with America As You Like It. Prices for a week start at £835, with flights from Gatwick to Tampa, car hire with full insurance. 020-8742 8299
A week in a small resort on Tobago with three pools, two restaurants and a beautiful beach is on offer from £699 with Tropical Sky. Fly from Gatwick on July 13 for B&B in the three-star Tropikist Beach Hotel. 0870 9079600