Channel 4 viewers were left unimpressed after a show promising budget luxury travel gave tips on bagging business class flights and chartering private yachts amid the cost of living crisis.
Luxury Holidays for Less promised viewers to provide high-end holidays for ‘a fraction of the price’, adding that Britons are ready to ‘reward ourselves with the holiday of our dreams’ now that travel restrictions have eased.
Among the advice was deals on renting out an entire yacht for £2,000 per night, a one-way business flight from Manchester to Dubai for more than £1,000 and a two-week holiday to Columbia for ‘less than £3,000 per person’.
However viewers were quick to criticise the programme, pointing out that many are already struggling to pay their bills amid rising energy costs and soaring inflation.
Luxury Holidays for Less, hosted by Sabrina Grant (pictured) promised viewers to provide luxury holidays for ‘a fraction of the price’. The advice included how to rent a yacht for £2,000 per night
The programme, presented by Sophie Morgan, was tasked with finding luxury holidays for a lower price tag now travel restrictions have eased
‘Caught the end of ‘Luxury Holidays for Less’, Channel 4. ‘Now everything’s getting back to normal with no restrictions on where you can go, there’s no excuse for not getting on with booking that Caribbean holiday’. Maybe the f*****g gas bill? #skint’, wrote one.
Another said: ‘Not sure ‘Luxury holidays for less’ on @Channel4 when families are struggling to heat and/or eat, through no fault of their own, sits comfortably with me.’
‘I’d love to know why Channel 4 thinks, at the moment, we need to watch programmes about luxury hotels, holidays, cars, houses and lifestyles. I mean, come on, give me a break!’, wrote a third.
Brits are becoming increasingly worried about the soaring cost of living, as inflation is expected to hit a 31-year high of 7.25 per cent in April.
However viewers were quick to criticise the programme, pointing out that many Brits are already struggling to pay their bills amid rising energy costs and soaring inflation
Inflation has been caused by sky-high energy prices and supply chain chaos caused by the pandemic.
National Insurance is set to increase by 1.25 percentage points in April; petrol prices are up by more than a quarter in a year; and council tax is expected to rise by an average of 3 per cent for the forthcoming year.
An average household will spent £139 a year more on food in 2022, clothing and footwear costs are up by an extra £51 a year; while families will spend an extra £136 on household goods.
The programme, presented by Sabrina Grant and Sophie Morgan, is introduced by telling viewers: ‘We’ve waited a long time for this moment. After two years of misery the travel rules have relaxed and the world is starting to open up.
‘At least we can reward ourselves with the holiday of our dreams. As searches for luxury breaks soar, we’ll show you how to book the trip you’ve been waiting for for a fraction of the price .’
The hosts are tasked with helping Gillian and Stewart, from Falkirk, who were able to keep their jobs and save money throughout the pandemic and were looking for a honeymoon destination
Host Sophie presented the couple with a six-night holiday to Malawi for under £3,000, a wine tasting trip to Georgia for around £2,000 and a business class flight to Toronto for £915
The hosts are tasked with helping couple Gillian and Stewart, from Falkirk, who were able to keep their jobs and save money throughout the pandemic and were looking for a honeymoon destination.
‘Our jobs have been really stable but we appreciate that’s not been the case for everybody, said Gillian.
‘Financially we’ve been able to make sure we have a clean slate again and there’s nothing hanging over us’.
‘It would be really nice to just be able to exhale and not worry about everything going on back home. There’s so much world to see, so we’re trying our best to see as much of it as possible’.
Holly Davies, an independent travel agent with 35 years experience, was roped in to help find luxury holiday destinations for a lower price.
She suggested visiting the Philippines over the Maldives, which she says would cost half the price, and travelling to Columbia over the Caribbean, where a two-week holiday and flights costs less than £3,000.
Holly Davies, an independent travel agent with 35 years experience, was roped in to help find luxury holiday destinations for a lower price
In another segment in the show, titled ‘yachts for less’, Sabrina chatted with Matthew Ovenden, who runs a one-off rental service to suit individual’s budget and location
Host Sophie then presented the couple with a six-night holiday to Malawi for under £3,000, a wine tasting trip to Georgia for around £2,000 and a business class flight to Toronto for £915.
Sophie spoke with former BA chairman Alex Cruz to figure out how to purchase business class seats at ‘bargain prices’ – discovering there are currently more empty premium seats than ever.
The programme discovered that some business class flights were actually cheaper than economy due to an decrease in demand, however found prices hike up at certain times in the year.
The show revealed they had discovered one-way flight from Manchester to Dubai in April £2,018 compared to £1,183 in July.
In another segment in the show, titled ‘yachts for less’, Sabrina chatted with Matthew Ovenden, who runs a one-off rental service to suit individual’s budget and location.
Despite the cost of renting a boat this way being considerably cheaper than chartering a yacht – it still costs £2,000 a day for a four cabin yacht, which the host suggested could be split between four couples.
Luxury Holidays for Less airs on Channel 4 on Sundays at 6.45pm
