The Great Hotel Checkout: 28% of Brits Choose Local Life Over Hotels as Homestays and Community Travel Surge

• 28% of Brits actively seek cultural immersion holidays where they live like a local

• 32% increasingly choose hobby-focused or activity-based trips over traditional beach holidays

• 28% actively look for emerging or lesser-known destinations, rising to 47% among 18–24s

• 19% have taken extended holidays or worked remotely abroad for weeks or months

• 39% see airports and layovers as part of the holiday itself

New national insight from Dragonpass, reveals that more than a quarter of UK adults now actively seek cultural immersion holidays where they live like locals, join community experiences or embed themselves in neighbourhood life rather than defaulting to standardised hotel stays.The shift is measurable and generational. Dragonpass data shows that 32% of Brits increasingly choose hobby-focused or activity-led trips over traditional beach breaks, while 28% deliberately look for emerging or lesser-known destinations. Among 18–24-year-olds, cultural immersion rises sharply to 50%, signalling that community-based travel is becoming structurally embedded in the next generation of holidaymakers.

This behavioural change mirrors broader shifts across the accommodation sector. Airbnb’s 2026 strategy outlines a pivot towards curated discovery, experiences and neighbourhood-led stays, positioning the platform as a full travel ecosystem rather than a simple booking engine. Industry reporting highlights growing demand for homestays, private rentals and culturally rooted properties as travellers prioritise authenticity and local rhythm over uniform hotel amenities.

Dragonpass’ Great British Take-Off data reflects this same evolution in UK behaviour. Nineteen per cent of Brits have taken extended holidays or worked remotely abroad for weeks or months, indicating deeper integration into destination life rather than short, transactional breaks. Twenty-one per cent say they take multiple holidays a year and often rebook immediately after returning.

At the same time, the journey itself is being redefined. Thirty-nine per cent of UK adults now see airports and layovers as part of the holiday experience rather than merely transit, rising to 50% among younger travellers. For Dragonpass, this reinforces the growing role of airport infrastructure as part of the overall experience economy.

Andrew Harrison-Chinn, Business Leader at Dragonpass, says the data points to a structural redesign of travel habits. Travellers are layering experience across accommodation, destination and transit rather than viewing them as separate components. Community, culture and immersion are becoming central organising principles of the modern holiday.

With scale across financial services, aviation and premium airport access, Dragonpass sits at the intersection of loyalty, travel behaviour and infrastructure. As Britons check out of traditional hotels and into local life, the airport and layover environment is increasingly integrated into the broader travel narrative.