Nearly 40 million holidays will be taken this year – the majority will be package holidays – and two-thirds will be taken in the summer…
Nearly 40 million holidays will be taken this year – the majority will be package holidays – and two-thirds will be taken in the summer. So with only six weeks to go before the big holiday rush, ABTA has compiled a list of Britain`s favourite holiday destinations and this year`s fashionable `hot` spots.
Britain`s Favourite Destinations (Figures are UK holidaymakers)
- Spain (10.7 m)
- France (7.08 m)
- Greece (3.02 m)
- USA (2.44 m)
- Italy (1.66 m)
- Irish Republic (1.5 m)
- Portugal (1.38 m)
- Cyprus (1.3 m)
- Netherlands (1.02 m)
- Turkey (772,000)
- The Caribbean (587,000)
Where`s `hot` this summer?
- Mexico
- Croatia
- Bulgaria
- Dubai
- South Africa
Although 71 per cent of package holidaymakers take a summer sun or beach holiday, and over 80 per cent take holidays in Europe, Brits have become more adventurous with their holidays and keen to seek out more far-flung destinations than ever before. Eight per cent of package holidays are now activity holidays including cycling, climbing, skiing and water sports. Trekking in Nepal, Morocco and Peru, sailing in Turkey, diving in Egypt and tracking tigers in India are just some of the types of action-packed holidays ABTA members provide.
More and more people are choosing to cruise and now five per cent of package holidays are either an ocean or river cruise.
The top destinations for ocean cruising are:
- The Mediterranean
- The Caribbean
- The Atlantic (The Canaries and Madeira)
- Scandinavia and the Baltic
While the top river cruises are:
- The Rhine/Moselle
- Nile
- The Far East/China
- The Danube
Last year ABTA members reported a 20 per cent increase in spa holidays, which appeal to a younger, healthier population keen to relax in luxury in order to de-stress, detox and be pampered.
Top spa destinations as recommended by ABTA Magazine are:
- The Maldives
- Mauritius
- Phuket, Thailand
- The Himalayas
- Goa, India
- Mexico
- The Caribbean
- Spain
- Cyprus
- Sardinia
Long haul holidays have remained popular despite recent global events. Destinations such as Australia – voted in three consecutive ABTA/MORI surveys as the top dream destination – New Zealand, South Africa and Thailand have all maintained their popularity. The US remains the number one long haul destination, while numbers to Mexico, the Caribbean and Dubai have risen dramatically in recent years, reflecting the increased choice in flights, competitive prices and good value all-inclusive resorts. Meanwhile the Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka have become the `get-away-from-it-all` island favourites.
Short breaks have increased rapidly over the last few years and now 15 per cent of holidays will be short break holidays. Paris, Amsterdam, Bruges and Rome are this year`s top four destinations, but Prague (with a 121 per cent increase in popularity), Warsaw, Moscow, St Petersburg, Cairo and Dubai are all emerging as popular alternatives.
This year nearly 40,000 British couples will get married overseas tempted by romantic locations at a fraction of the price of a UK wedding. Mediterranean destinations such as Cyprus and Greece, have risen in popularity but the top destinations for marriages abroad are the Caribbean, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Florida, while destinations for honeymoons remain enticing with Mauritius, the Seychelles, the Greek Islands, Thailand, Australia, the Caribbean and the Bahamas proving to be favourites.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
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