Which? Travel: How holidays have changed in 50 years

When Holiday Which? launched in 1974 only a third of Britons had ever been abroad. Without budget airlines, the internet and entry to many countries prohibited, booking a holiday was a daunting task requiring you to choose a package from a pile of brochures.

Those lucky enough to venture beyond the UK in the 70s washed up on packed Greek beaches, in the as-yet-undeveloped Algarve or in hastily built Spanish resorts.

As the 80s arrived, so did more airlines and more choice. There were city breaks to Hong Kong and New York. We had stories on California and the untouched beaches of Indonesia. 

By the 90s, the Berlin Wall had fallen and took travel restrictions with it – Prague and Krakow both featured – the latter was recently rated Which? Travel readers’ favourite European city. We picked Lisbon as an underrated city back in 2000, while Dubai made its first appearance between our pages in 2002, as the world got smaller and more affordable thanks to Middle Eastern long-haul airlines. 

The rise of low-cost carriers reshaped the world, especially in Europe. It made travel possible for millions, but also led to some cities becoming overwhelmed with tourists. Post-pandemic, we’ve seen holidaymakers swapping flights for train journeys and making travel decisions based on environmental impact. Read on for our five-decade round-up of travel trends.

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70s

The Mediterranean holiday takes off, but eyesore Spanish resorts that spring up to cater to demand are criticised for blighting the landscape. Innovations in aviation open up long-haul routes to affluent travellers, with the USA, Turkey, the Seychelles and China emerging as alternative ‘new’ destinations.

1974 Honeymoons at home

‘A typical honeymoon is a summer affair here in England with Devon and Cornwall the most popular areas and London, Bournemouth and Blackpool popular honeymoon towns (with even places like Swindon and Welwyn Garden City having their devotees).’

1974 Greece: crowded earth

As early as the 1970s sunseekers would all flock to the same destinations. In our first issue, writers complained of overcrowded beaches in Rhodes town. ‘We counted 2,000 sunbeds packed close together and almost all of them occupied.’

1976 New frontiers in China

‘Going to China is still a rare event. The number of package tours allowed each year is limited and you could have to wait up to two years to get a place.’ Holidaymakers would need to fork out £1,000 (approx £7,600 in today’s money) for a three-week holiday to China.

1977 Yugoslav islands: old names, same vistas

‘Hvar, a lush subtropical island is very popular with members for a quiet relaxing holiday. It’s attractive and relatively unspoiled with only a few hotels.’

1977 Seychelles desert island chic

‘Don’t worry about the recent political coup,’ Which? advises. Tourism is new to Seychelles and growing fast. When Mahe airport opened in 1971 there were 1,500 visitors; by 1976 50,000 had made the trip.

1977 Laker Airways’ Skytrain – the first budget airline

Passengers couldn’t book their seat until 13 hours before take-off and would have to pay extra for meals (£1.75) and films on this no-frills airline. We reported that the London Gatwick to New York fare was ‘good value although Laker terminal in New York was awkward to get to’. Laker Airways collapsed in 1982 during the recession. Norse is the latest airline in a long line of carriers to attempt to crack the budget transatlantic market – its fares can be a bargain.

80s

An economic boom fuels the launch of new airlines including Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic. This decade sees readers’ enthusiastic exploration of the Americas, Asia and eastern Europe as geopolitical borders shift. Club 18-30 is popular with younger holidaymakers, timeshares with older ones.

1980 California dreaming

Readers were fascinated by the American way of life. We report, ‘there are effusively friendly people in many areas, no British reserve and with a seemingly genuine affection for visitors from the Old Country. Craze and cause-prone health fads and jogging is inescapable.’ Little has changed.

1981 Timeshares on offer

In a sceptical article we admit the ‘idea has its attractions but a lot could go wrong to make your timeshare a disappointment or disaster’. We warn there’s a ‘risk of losing your money altogether so don’t be rushed into a decision’.

1981 Bali & Thailand: paradise found

Readers were forging new paths in Asia before those destinations became well-trodden by partying backpackers and later, travel influencers. We write: ‘One of Bali’s greatest pleasures is pottering about the countryside in a hired car or motorbike pausing to look at a temple, marvelling at the delicate terracing and observing village life.’ And we report that Phuket is ‘everything a tropical island ought to be – white beach, crystal waters, waving palms and empty expanses of white sand’.

1986 Mafia worries in Italy

Brits haven’t ventured far into Italy’s islands but Sardinia and Elba are emerging destinations. Sicily is praised as a ‘treasure trove for sightseeing tourists but has few places which offer a classic beach base holiday’, and tourist authorities recommend against visiting due to a tense atmosphere following a spate of mafia-related murders.

1989 Behind the curtain in Moscow and Leningrad

The Soviet Union starts to welcome organised tours. ‘You’re paraded round the sites while tourist guides recite facts and figures. But unless you go exploring on your own the only other Russian people you’re likely to meet are the black marketeers hanging around your hotel.’ 

1988 South America: holiday of a lifetime 

Our report says Brazilians are ‘devoting themselves to industrial progress and consumerism on a grand scale. The signs of affluence such as smart cars, stylish fashions, sophisticated restaurants come as something of a culture shock after a stay in Peru or Bolivia.’

1989 Berlin East and West

Visitors describe the extraordinary contrasts with the noisy West compared to the East’s ‘crudely spectacular towers, howling squares and cars that look like nothing on Earth’.

90s

Travellers find their way to Iran, India and beyond. But early optimism is balanced by shock over poverty and crime in some places, at a time when you couldn’t readily research a destination beyond the bookshop or library. Booze-cruise day trips to France boom.

1990 Florida sun

The sunshine state became the new frontier for British holidaymakers in search of sun and fun. Numbers doubled since 1986 to over half a million visitors. 

1990 I (don’t) love New York

‘If you’re expecting a sophisticated, high tech city you are in for a big culture shock. You’ll find skyscrapers, muggers, art galleries, parks full of the homeless,’ we report. Describing it as ‘Third World’ we concede that New York’s energy and excitement keep visitors coming.

1991 Beach life in India’s newest state

Direct charters from Britain only began in 1987 but the beaches have been a draw since the 1960s. ‘The hippies have moved on but the easy-going atmosphere that attracted them remains, deserted beaches and windswept sand demand your attention. Don’t expect to be left alone... there will be a stream of hawkers and peddlers.’

1991 Japan: the thrill of the unknown

Japan continually surprises you and this is where the fun lies. ‘Tokyo at rush hour, the walls of people coming towards you intimidates even the most hardened urbanite.’ Our report raves about how well designed everything is and the country’s friendly people.

1991 Balearics clubbing

‘Nightlife is an important part of the island’s appeal – pack your dancing shoes. Ibizan nightlife has a reputation for the outrageous and the exotic but is marvellously tolerant.’

1994 Paradise lost in Thailand

‘Sand beaches ... once the haunt of backpackers are often lined with hotels. Some resorts are spoiled by this building boom, others are still at a happy stage of having good facilities but enough room to breathe.’

1996 A fresh start in South Africa

We report that ‘the newly democratic South Africa hopes to become a front runner in international tourism stakes.’ A reader’s favourite in recent years, it’s succeeded. We say Cape Town has ‘elegant avenues and lively quarters beneath the protective walls of Table Mountain’ and ‘some of the most efficient pick pockets in the world’ according to its own tourism centre.

1999 Krakow & Warsaw: look east

Krakow is a ‘buzzing, lively place with a young population’, while Warsaw is a ‘marvel of reconstruction’.

1999 The Caribbean: rise of all-inclusive resorts

‘Limitless luxury side by side with mass market tourism make Barbados a good choice for everyone unless you want to escape the crowds.’

00s

The success of low-cost carriers and Middle Eastern airlines spanning the globe opens up new stopovers such as Dubai. Holidays are no longer just a two-week summer jaunt, we are travelling more often for shorter stays and off-season trips.

2000 Lisbon: spotting the next big thing

Lisbon was ‘underrated and overlooked by many’ we reported two decades ago, suggesting it was time to give this affordable, vibrant port city a try. In 2022, the Portugese capital welcomed 17.1m overnight stays.

2000 The other Ibiza

‘Contrary to popular belief, Ibiza is not entirely populated with drug-fuelled clubbers and lager louts. True, every available billboard and fly-posted wall is smothered in advertisements for clubs and foam parties, but if you steer clear of San Antonio, Playa d’en Bossa, and nights in Ibiza Town, the majority of the island resembles a pint-sized version of mannerly old Majorca.’

2002 Dubai: wintersun in the desert

‘Flop on the beach at a luxury hotel or shop till you drop in this oasis of western consumer delights on the edge of a desert wilderness.’

2007 Iceland: northern exposure

‘Reykjavík is an oddball city, with a party hard attitude and wilderness on its doorstep,’ we reported.

2008 Kerala’s lesser visited wonders

‘India’s southern secret offers beaches, backwaters, tea plantations and much, much more.’

10s-today

Although the pandemic abruptly halted global travel, two trends persist. There’s a tension between those seeking luxurious, bucket-list experiences in the furthest reaches of Earth versus travellers striving for eco-friendly tourism closer to home. 

2013 Croatia: Game of Thrones

As Croatia joined the EU, we outlined why it should be on your summer radar, lauding its ‘warm crystal waters, pine-scented islands and world-class historic treasures’. With Dubrovnik a recognisable filming location for Game of Thrones, Croatia soared in popularity.

2016 Cuba opens

The fortunes of Cuba frequently rest on the political wind in Washington. Our reporter found a country in the throes of transition. ‘In Old Havana, new international hotels settle in behind Art Deco facades. And the port is bracing for an influx of cruise ships. After decades of the doors inching open, there’s a sense they could suddenly fly off their hinges.’ Sadly, the door only remains a few inches open. While visiting from the UK is easy, the reintroduction of Cuba to the US’s state sponsor of terrorism list means getting a Cuban passport stamp makes future travel to the US complicated – chilling demand for travel.

2020 Global lockdown

‘The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in almost all flights and holidays being cancelled, as travel restrictions have been introduced around the world.’ The Travel team steer readers through three turbulent years of confusing travel rules, flight cancellations and vaccine passports.

2022 Forget the plane

We introduce our first regular no-fly feature to reflect changing travel habits. Destinations include rail breaks to Salzburg, Bruges and Leiden and sailing by ferry to Bilbao.