Devon named as top place for a staycation... over Cornwall
Researchers compared a number of factors for when it comes to holidays
Last updated 10th Aug 2021
We all know the jam goes on first, but where is best to take a staycation out of Cornwall and Devon?
Well according to research carried out by hotel booking platform 'hoo', it's Devon.
Wait, what?
They looked at a number of factors including long-term holiday home costs, hotel room rates, availability of accommodation, blue flag beaches and the number of visitors who head to each county every year.
Unfortunately neither pasties or cream teas were considered as part of the research.
So how do the two compare when it comes to holidays?
According to the hoo research, for those considering a long-term holiday home, Cornwall comes out on top with an average house price of £265,288 - 9.5% more affordable than Devon. The rental market is also more affordable in Cornwall where you could rent a home for the summer for £744 a month versus £792 in Devon.
However, when it comes to a short-term staycation, Devon reigns supreme in all areas. According to hoo’s research, the average hotel room rate for a long bank holiday weekend in Devon comes in at £155 per night. The same stay in Cornwall will cost you £172 per night, 10.6% more expensive.
hoo also looked at current availability and found that 98% of Cornish accommodation is already booked up, while in Devon it’s just 96%, meaning you have a better chance of finding somewhere to stay in the first place.
Both areas are home to some of the best beaches the UK has to offer but Devon takes the top spot once again in this respect. Cornwall is home to a respectable 10 Blue Flag awarded beaches, but in Devon, this number climbs as high as 13.
Finally, hoo looked at the number of annual domestic tourists that flock to each area for their holiday. The latest data shows that just over 3.2m of us head to Cornwall in a single year but Devon takes the crown as the busiest tourist hotspot with over 3.4m visitors per year.
hoo Co-founder, Adrian Murdock, said: “A modern-day War of the Roses, the Cornwall-Devon debate is fierce and one that can be ignited over something as simple as a cream tea.
"While it certainly looks as though Devon edges it from a tourism standpoint, our personal opinion is you can’t go wrong with either.
"In fact, combining a visit to both is a win-win situation and doing so can rival any foreign holiday, as long as the sun is shining that is. Just make sure you apply your cream and jam in the correct order depending on which side of the border you are at the time.”