• TV’s Scarlette Douglas unveils a ‘Beach-in-a-Box’ kit to help Brits banish the winter blues
• The self-assembly kit from easyJet holidays includes 20kg of sand, a UVB lamp, a Mediterranean backdrop, pina coladas, an aroma diffuser and wave sound simulator
• 65% of Brits suffer with the January blues and spend 65 hours a year researching and booking holidays on company time
• easyJet holidays’ January sale offers up to £300 off select package deals

A British holiday company has come up with a unique solution to help Brits banish the winter blues – a kit that allows customers to create ‘a beach’ in their living room.

easyJet holidays has launched the ‘Beach-in-a-Box’ kit to bring the sun, sea and sand to housebound Brits in need of some escapism this Winter, as it reveals its findings on Brits’ longing for a sunshine escape during the colder months.

A Place In the Sun TV presenter Scarlette Douglas unveiled the self-assembly ‘home beach’ kit which includes 20kg of sand, a UVB lamp, a Mediterranean backdrop, an aroma diffuser, a pina colada cocktail kit and a wave sound simulator.

For those customers that don’t wish to cover their entire living room floor with sand – there’s also an inflatable sandpit.

The popular package holiday company hopes to help sun-starved Brits banish the January blues and conjure up some summer vibes with the immersive escape pack, drawing on smells, sounds and textures of a beach break while browsing the bargains on offer on the easyJet holidays website.

Celebrating the Brits’ love affair with the sun, travel presenter Douglas was treated to the ultimate at home beach experience. The TV star sunk her toes into golden sand, sipped a pina colada and built a sandcastle from the comfort of her living room under the glowing warmth of a UVB sun lamp

Scarlette Douglas, I'm A Celebrity contestant and holiday expert said: “I'm lucky to be frequently jetting off to warmer climates and feel most at home with the sand between by toes. I loved testing out this whacky kit from easyJet holidays - it’s the perfect antidote to the winter blues and almost as good as the real thing.”

The limited edition ‘Beach in a Box’ kit is available for just £19.99 from www.easyjet.com/en/holidays/campaigns/beach-in-a-box – but the cost is discounted from any future holiday booking with the operator.

The ‘Beach-in-a-Box’ includes:

• A voucher for 20kg of sand and inflatable sandpit
• A UVB lamp which simulates the kiss of Spanish sunshine
• A vivid backdrop depicting a scenic Mediterranean coastline
• An aroma diffuser conjuring the scents of an olive grove
• A pina colada cocktail kit
• A plug-in and play wave sound simulator

Research by the company reveals that during dark winter months, Brits long for beautiful European beaches and the curative powers of the sun. The study found that two thirds (65%) of adults suffer from the January blues with 61% finding themselves longing for a beach break.

This longing is hindering workplace productivity. 70% of workers admit to planning their holidays on company time. Over the last 12 months they racked up an average of 65 hours researching vacations at work, getting paid while choosing where to spend it. They also spent a further 17 hours a year chatting about holiday planning with co-workers. However, there are risks as 10% confessed to being caught browsing by the boss.

When it comes to the things Brits miss most about a beach break, the sensation of warm sun on their skin topped the list [40%], followed by taking in beautiful scenery [35%] and listening to the soothing sounds of crashing waves [30%]. These sensory elements are replicated in the Beach-in-a-Box kit.

The study also revealed that it has been 175 days since the average Brit last enjoyed a lounge in sunny climes. Even worse, two in 10 say they haven’t holidayed abroad for over than a year.

The research concluded that the average Brit spends 3,332 hours a year dreaming about getaways.

Paul Bixby easyJet holidays’ Commercial Director said: “Our fun DIY beach kit has been designed to help people dream about the joy of holidays during the darker and colder months. January is a gloomy time for Brits, so we can’t wait to see the pictures of at-home beaches while customers plan their holidays and book bargains in our Big Orange Sale.”

easyJet holiday’s Big Orange Sale, offers travellers up to £300 off all package holidays to European hotspots. To grab a bargain, holidaymakers need to simply use the code ORANGESALE at easyJet.com/holidays when booking before 11pm on Thursday 2 February 2023.

The tour operator offers holidays departing right up to the end of October 2024 to over 5000 hotels, across 100 destinations. All packages include flights, accommodation, 23kg luggage per person, and transfers on beach holidays.

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For more information, interview requests or imagery, please contact the team on Holidays.pressoffice@easyjet.com / 01582 280508

 

Notes to editors:

Research conducted by OnePoll in January 2023 of 1,000 UK adults

 

About easyJet holidays: 

easyJet holidays offers great-value beach, city and lakes holidays to more than 100 destinations across Europe, directly through its website and through over 3000 travel agent partners. The ATOL-protected holidays company combines easyJet’s flexible flight programme, with handpicked hotels and best-in-class technology to provide hassle-free personalised holiday experiences which can be secured with a deposit of just £60 per person. The holidays operator is an ABTA member too, providing additional reassurance to customers under the UK’s most trusted travel scheme. With a range of holiday types, from adult and family to luxury and undiscovered, transfers included on beach holidays, 23kg hold luggage included on all bookings, and over 5,000 hotels, across over 500 resorts, customers can holiday the way they want.

 

All easyJet holidays are covered by its Protection Promise, an industry leading policy giving customers ultimate flexibility, protection and reassurance and letting them book with total confidence. The Promise offers a refund guarantee, freedom to change a booking, a reduced balance due date, a Best Price Guarantee, and deposit refunds.

 

In 2021 easyJet holidays launched its inaugural sustainability strategy focusing on three key pillars – create better holiday choices which is about making sustainable travel affordable and accessible to everyone; keep our holidays special which is maximising the benefits and minimising the negative impacts of travel and tourism, and transform travel for everyone which means embedding sustainability into business decisions and behaviours and driving meaningful change in the industry. Through ongoing collaboration with the Travel Foundation, the University of Oxford, and as a member of the GSTC, easyJet holidays is focused on building its research, partnerships and certifications, and taking action to make a positive impact on the people and places that make its destinations so special.