Is a holiday a luxury or a necessity?

Abstract
Not everyone has access to tourism and in many parts of Europe it is essential for everyone to have an annual holiday. However, a very different view is taken here in the UK. The government believe that a holiday is a luxury whereas others feel it is a necessity.

Key words: Holiday, Luxury, Necessity, Social Policy, Tourism, European Union

Introduction
Would you consider a holiday a luxury or a necessity? Over 40% of the UK population do not take an annual holiday each year. This can include those families with a low income, single parent families, those who have a disabled member within the family, as it is 3 times more expensive to raise someone with a disability. Furthermore there is the elderly and those who feel socially isolated. There is great discussion in society at the moment about whether or not everyone has the right to go on an annual holiday. The Liberal Democrats are currently fighting, to ensure those who are at a disadvantage have the appropriate funds to go on an annual holiday each year.

"A holiday can improve a person's quality of life"
There are many benefits associated with taking a holiday; a break away from normal routine can help a person in terms of mental health and well-being issues. 91% of General practitioners believe that a holiday can improve a person's quality of life. "Certainly, isolated studies and clinical trials have indicated that holidays may be good for your physical health, for instance, lowering the risk of heart disease and there is some evidence that summer camps have positive psychological effects on children suffering physical illnesses such as cancer" (Hazel,2005, p:4).Other benefits include strengthening of relationships between families, social interaction; which will allow for mixing with new people socially and could potentially normalise an isolated situation and finally it is the famous saying 'travel broadens the mind.' It can allow individuals to learn a new culture and have new experiences, this can then be taken back with them and could spark up a new hobby which could increase their quality of life or boost their confidence and self esteem.

Social Policy in the EU.
Within the European Union many schemes have already been put in place to allow for everyone to have access to tourism. This can be in the form of vouchers which allow for a holiday to be subsides through a grant or the tourism industry, this is currently active in France, with an organisation called ANCV. In Eastern Europe, holidays have been provided through employees or unions with many summer camps and holiday centres aimed at families. If schemes such as this are currently live in Europe what is stopping the UK from getting involved? There are many organisations within the UK which do aim to provide those less unfortunate with a holiday, the Family Holiday Association aim to give families a break. Liberal Democrate MP Bob Russell currently wants social tourism within the UK. Stating in the House of Commons, "I am not talking about holidays that some people have, sipping cocktails by the pool under the Caribbean sun, but relatively simple off-peak breaks here at home. More Skegness or Sheringham than Spain or the Seychelles, more train than plane" (BBC News, 2010).

Why tourism can't become a social policy in the UK.
There can be many problems associated with social tourism becoming a policy within the UK. First of all where is this extra money going to come from? The UK is coming out of a recession and it is not practical to be spending money on something which could be seen as a luxury. For example it is more important to concentrate on the necessities such as healthcare and education. "With a good education and a job comes choice, and it will then be for families to decide whether they go on holiday and what sort of holiday they may want to take" (FHA,2010). This could also be seen as a short term solution. For example a homeless person would be able to go on a holiday for a week but upon return they would be back on the streets. Surely a homeless person would prefer a stable home rather then a holiday?

Conclusion
It becomes apparent that the government will not be putting a social policy in place for tourism at any point in the near future. However each local council have been given a grant and if they feel appropriate then subsidised holidays could be made. If you where an active member of the government which side would you take? Could you answer the question, is a holiday a necessity or a luxury?

Key references
Hazel, N. (2005).Holidays for children and families in need: an exploration of the research and policy context for social tourism in the UK. Children and society 19 (3) 225-236

Smith, V. Hughes,H (2000).Disadvantaged families and the meaning of a holiday. International journal of tourism research, 1 (2) p123-33

Turner R, G Miller, and D Gilbert (2001).The role of UK charities and the tourism industry. Journal of tourism management 22 (5) p463-72

Web links
Family Holiday Association (2010) Holidays-Low income families, a copy of the Hansard report of the adjournment debate. Available from: http://www.fhaonline.org.uk/Documents/PA_101119HansardRecord.pdf. [Accessed 2rnd May 2011]

McCuran,G. (2010) Bob Russell's hopes for holidays. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/deborahmcgurran/2010/11/_on_the_day_that.html. [Accessed 25th April 2011]

Good points were raised in the author's discussion paper. Though, while it was discussed on health benefits of holiday taking, has it really been academically proved that taking a holiday improves one's health? Certainly it can be stated that it improves the people's quality of life like it was stated in the discussion paper and in addition it was discovered in Mack and Lansley's research that 63% of UK population consider a one-week holiday annually away from home to be a necessity (Smith & Hughes 1999)! This is an interesting point and this would back up the statement of a holiday being a necessity rather than luxury.

In the discussion paper it was not separated the groups who do not travel, it was just stated that 40% of UK population do not take annual holidays. It could be argued that the whole group of 'non-travellers' is rather difficult to deal with, while the group can be relatively differing. Among the non-travellers there can be single parent families, families with low income, those who have a disabled member within the family and certainly just people who do not want to travel. Whereas the group is so vast it is difficult to generalise the whole 'social tourism concept' and whether or not and more especially how an annual holiday should be organised for everyone. For example for single parent family there is no physical obstacle to go for a holiday whereas if it is talked about families with disabled family members there are more needed to take into consideration than just financial issues. In addition a question could be raised whether the holiday really is a necessity for family who are low in income but otherwise are okay, meaning everyone are healthy, they have a house, enough money to eat and children can go to school, therefore they do not have any special factor which would straight affect to their health. Whereas the family carers work without getting paid, cares someone for 24/7 365 days a year, they might not have any other social life because of the caring activities and in addition the caring has been noticed to cause stress which causes for many carers myriad psychical and psychological disabling conditions, therefore can it be stated at this stage that a holiday is a necessity or still just a luxury (Gladwell & Bendini 2004)? Carers have been stating that having a holiday is the only thing which keeps them going and help them to cope with their life (Weightman 1999; Carers UK 2010). At the moment informal carers are saving approximately £87 billion annually from the economy in other words they are doing their parts for the society, but are not getting anything back from it (Cross Road 2011; Beesley 2006). Can it still be stated a holiday for carers to be a luxury?

The discussion paper examined the issue from few angles and brought out many interesting points about social tourism, for example the difficult economic situation at the moment, and whether the society has the money to put to something that is not a 'necessity'! It could be argued that in some cases the holidays are a necessity for people but for others just a luxury like pointed out in the previous examples! It could be suggested that the whole group of 'non-travellers' would not be dealt as an one big group but rather would be divided into smaller sections and through that tried solve out this difficult matter.

The author's discussion paper has effectively illustrated the factors inhibiting access to tourism in relation to the topic of is a holiday a necessity or a luxury; the government policy towards social tourism has been raised by author through the comparison between UK and EU, it has also mentioned that it is essential for everyone to have an annual holiday in the European Countries; however, the government in the UK believe that a holiday is a luxury whereas others feel it is a necessity; therefore, the issue has been clearly demonstrated at the head of this paper, and the question about the fund to social tourism had been directly towards to the UK government .


Besides, this discussion paper has clearly layout where there had been divided into five parts; the author precisely described the current situation in the UK regarding to the UK population's annual tourism within the introduction section, and the families with a low income, single parent families, those who have a disabled member within the family have been emphasized as those groups were hardly engaged in the annual holiday each year. In order to support the opinion, the author also highlights a holiday can improve a person's quality of life, and a wide range of evidences have been portrayed in this part, while some of examples could be more specifically as it can strength this point about a holiday can enrich a person's life. On the other hand, the most highlight part which is the third part about the social policy in the EU, this part can be a strong point supporting the topic; the travel voucher launched in France by ANCV organisation and union subsidy assist for holiday in Eastern European Countries clearly clarify that the more effective social policy towards social holiday in EU rather than the UK. At the end of this part, the author raise a question again "If schemes such as this are currently live in Europe what is stopping the UK from getting involved?". In addition to that, at the fourth part; the author start to deal with the problems brought forward of this paper; therefore, the reasons for why tourism can't become a social policy in the UK have concluded due to the recession in the UK and the UK's government need funds to more healthcare and education. However, there are other reasons that the government cannot immediately change the policy towards the social holiday such as the environmental issue if the tourism became overly necessity it would bring contamination and congestion to the destination. Interestingly, the author raises a question again to those active members within the UK's government.


Overall, the social policy towards funding to social holiday in the UK; undoubtedly, becoming a controversial topic among the UK's citizens. Whilst, there are numerous things that government should be done immediately rather than fund to people travelling to somewhere. The author accurately expatiate this strand and pointed out that the UK's social policy is the main reason inhibiting part of UK's citizens access to a holiday. However, the reasons for why UK's government cannot get involved in the EU schemes simply not only economic aspect, but also the environment and social issue as well.

The author of this paper has discussed whether or not everyone has the right to go on an annual holiday. The problem is identified in the first sentences of this paper that over 40% of the UK population do not take annual holiday each year. From my point of view this is a big problem that government officials should deal with because it not only creates instability, or broadens the gap between rich and poor, but also are subject to economic and social disadvantages. In this paper, it was made apparent that families with low income, or those who have a disabled member in the family are subject to greater consideration when it comes to deciding whether to go on holiday or not. The question is though, whether you decide to go on holiday that may affect your future in terms of financial situation, or will it enhance your social inclusion is the question that is debatable.
Although the author identifies the benefits associated with taking a holiday, however detriments of such activity are somewhere left behind.
The author points out that within the EU many schemes allowing everyone to have access to tourism have been put in place. Many countries in Europe, such as France that was mentioned in this paper have organisations like ANCV that employing some form of help towards subsidizing holidays for low income families or those who have a disabled member in the family. A good example of the UK organisation 'The Family Holiday Association' was given, which aims to provide holiday for those that are less fortunate. Although it sounds very attractive, and humanly, but it is not easy to achieve something that is subject to a great amount of discussion. There is a positive and a negative side of it. The questions raised by the author are very true. The question of money, where it will come from, is it practical to be spending money on something which could be seen as a luxury? Is it not better to spend it on education and healthcare? Surely, the debate can be going on and on, but in my opinion the conclusion for the question whether or not everyone has the right to go on an annual holiday will not be made in the near future.