06 July 2023 , 09:33
1048
0
Brits could save hundreds of pounds on Center Parcs holidays by ditching the UK in favour of Europe, a new study from Which? Travel has found.
The research comes weeks after one woman revealed she saved £600 on Center Parcs by going to Belgium instead.
Which? compared the cost of a four-night stay for a family of four at 16 Center Parcs sites across England, France and Belgium during four peak periods; August and October half term this year, and February half term and the first week of the Easter holidays next year.
Its research found that UK Center Parcs holidays were significantly more than abroad. On average, a UK stay came in at £1,274 on average, compared to £833 in France, and £701 in Belgium.
October half term and Easter were where you could find the biggest savings, which could be down to France and Belgium having different holiday dates to the UK.
All the places you can fly to for less than a tenner including Italy and Spain
Families could make big savings compared to UK locations (Publicity Picture)A four-night stay over Easter 2024 would set a family back £1,259 on average in the UK, the same break could be had for just £392 in France. While still much cheaper than in the UK, staying in Belgium was pricier than France, costing £800 for four nights.
Still, families could save 55% opting for a resort in Belgium rather than the UK for half term with a four night break costing just £613, compared to £1,369 in the UK.
Even when return travel costs were added, with various cheap ferry options to France and Belgium, there were still savings for families to be had.
The website you book through also made a big difference.
The consumer champion found that holidaymakers could make further savings by booking through the French website (centerparcs.fr) instead of the English-language site (centerparcs.eu). Spot checks by researchers found that prices for Center Parcs in France and Belgium were £68 cheaper on average on the French website.
Jo Rhodes, Deputy Editor of Which? Travel said: “While a holiday park may feel like a quintessentially British holiday, our research found that it’s well-worth casting your eye beyond the Channel to snap up some significant savings.
“A family of four could save hundreds of pounds by choosing a Center Parcs resort in France or Belgium rather than in the UK, with the biggest savings over the October and Easter half terms. Just do your research before you go, to make sure your chosen park has the facilities and activities you’re looking for.”
A spokesperson for Center Parcs UK said: "Center Parcs UK and Center Parcs Europe are entirely separate companies that share the same brand but operate under very different market conditions, this makes comparisons between the two difficult. There is huge demand for our short breaks in the UK which means we are almost full all year round. 60% of guests will go on to make another booking with us which reflects the quality of the experience we offer."
Rebecca saved £600 by opting for Center Parcs in Belgium (Rebecca Kellett / SWNS)Earlier this year, mum Rebecca went viral after she revealed she'd bagged a cheap Center Parcs holiday in Europe for around £445, compared to the £1,700 price tag being listed for UK getaways.
She said: "It was out of principle that we didn't spend £1700 on the trip. I prefer quantity over quality and would much rather spend 10 nights in a half-decent hotel than less in a nice one.
EasyJet currently has a huge sale with up to £200 off Spain holidays
"I did a bit of an investigation into Center Parcs EU and saw the French version had the De Vossemeren site on there."
Rebecca said that the activities that the kids were able to do at the Belgian site were a massive factor in their decision-making on top of the price saving.
Rebecca added: "The cabins were exactly the same in Belgium as they are in the UK. You could tell they were part of the same company."
You can find out more about the research on which.co.uk.