Jump to content
Breaks for all - One in three families in the UK cannot afford a one-week break away from home and one in five cannot even afford a day trip
Working to improve well-being and happiness

What is happening elsewhere?

Family in caravan

For decades the Tourist Office for Flanders in Belgium, Chèque-Vacances in France and IMSERSO in Spain have all been providing direct support to help people access holidays.

  • Since 1936 Flanders has recognised the value of social tourism. With the co-operation of 500 partners in the tourism industry, nearly 20,000 people on low incomes were able to enjoy a holiday or day trip in 2005.
  • Through the holiday voucher scheme from L’Agence Nationale pour les Chèques-Vacances (ANCV) in France, seven million people accessed a holiday in 2006. More than 135,000 outlets accepted the holiday vouchers, which generated over three billion euros of income for the French domestic tourism industry.
  • In 2006 a spanish state sponsored organisation, IMSERSO, assisted 700,000 old people access low season holidays at the Spanish seaside at a cost of 75 million euros generating an additional government revenue of 125 million euros. It is estimated that these holidays generated 8,000 direct jobs and another 45,000 indirect jobs.
  • Organisations involved in social tourism – travel industry, government and charities – have joined forces in the organisation called Bureau International de Tourism Social (BITS) to advocate for and improve access to holidays for all. All partners have signed up to the Barcelona Declaration in 2006.