Brexit slows PlainSailing.com UK sales – Brits missing out on best boats

PlainSailing.com reports slower sales from UK customers in the run-up to Brexit – but the rest of the world are still booking yacht and catamaran charters, so when people in the UK choose to book their sailing holiday, all the best boats will already be gone.

The Brexit saga continues, and, with still nothing decided, Mediterranean charter experts PlainSailing.com have reported a drag on sales to UK-based customers as Brexit nears.  It’s no surprise – sailing holidays can require a reasonable outlay, and it’s clear that UK customers are holding on to their cash whilst they wait to see what happens next.

PlainSailing.com are still expecting a record-breaking season because the rest of the world, where there are no such worries, are going about their business as usual, and the boats are getting booked up fast.  But it means that one of the side-effects of Brexit will be that, when UK customers come to book their annual sailing holiday, they’ll find that all the best boats and best locations will already be fully booked.

As a result, Brits likely won’t be sailing the latest 2019 models of the latest yachts and catamarans, as well as not being able to sail from the top charter destinations like Dubrovnik or Lefkas in peak season, because they’re already pretty much fully booked for the season ahead.

Tommy Tognarelli, founder of PlainSailing.com, said “We’re only a matter of days away from Brexit and we still don’t know which direction we’re going to be heading in. With the ongoing uncertainty, it’s no surprise that people aren’t booking European sailing holidays right now – at the moment, they’re not even sure if planes will be flying, how much a pound will be worth when they arrive, or even if their UK sailing qualifications will be recognised.

 “Sadly, it looks like once Brexit gets sorted, the key booking season will be over, and we might not be able to get our UK customers the boat of their dreams – because it’s likely already booked up by someone else. Booking late means that the best boats and best rates aren’t available, and there’s a lot less choice of boats available.

“Obviously, we’ll try our best to find solutions that will keep out customers happy – and if they do book, they’ll be in the sunshine, island-hopping around the Med, which is the pretty much the ideal place to get away from it all and forget about any drama back home.”