Europe appears to have fallen out of favour with British holidaymakers craving a new vacation resort. Traditional sun-soaked countries in the European Union, such as Italy and Spain, fell short of making up one fifth of Hostelworld’s new survey. The firm revealed the top 20 cities, towns and villages that are gaining popularity with British travellers, reflected in an increase in bookings. Just Malta, Georgia, Spain and Italy featured in the list of fastest-growing up and coming new locations.
Hostelworld revealed Coron in the Philippines is the number one up-and-coming spot for travellers wanting to head off the beaten track.
The picture-perfect spot saw a 2016 per cent increase in bookings between 2017 and 2018.
Meanwhile Nusa Lembongan in Indonesia comes in second place with a 261 per cent rise.
The area’s friendly vibes and array of good hostels, as well as stunning views over the Devil’s Tears.
Flying the flag for Europe, meanwhile, were St Julian’s in Malta and Tbilisi in Georgia, the latter of which was up 68 per cent.
Tourist bookings in Valladolid were up 58 percent and Verona, in Italy, saw a 53 per cent rise.
Catriona Flood, Director of Strategy and Planning, commented “While regions such as Southeast Asia are likely to always remain popular with backpackers, young people are looking to push the geographical boundaries even further on their quest for once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
“That sense of heading somewhere others haven’t heard of is intriguing and appealing.
“People are often drawn to new destinations because they’re keen to come home with exciting tales of beautiful, undiscovered locations they can surprise and delight their friends or family with.
“Technology has made it easier than ever to research accommodation and plan activities in destinations previously unexplored by tourists.
“Having reliable information at the tips of their fingers gives people confidence to explore further afield, and we’re seeing more and more people booking on-the-go.”
Meanwhile, one UK tourist hotspot has touted taking bizarre action in order to boost tourism.
Jersey Tourism Board is touting the idea of legalising cannabis to attract more visitors – claiming it would be “short sighted” not to consider the unexpected method.
In an unorthodox move Keith Beecham, CEO of the Tourism Board, has called for a consultation on the plans, citing the successful nature of Colorado and Canada who have adopted similar guidelines for visitors.
As well as bringing more footfall to the Channel Island, giving the green light to relaxed drug rules could see an increase in revenue through cannabis taxes.
As reported by The Sun, Mr Beecham said of the idea: “Places such as Colorado and Canada have liberalised their laws and it seems that it is bringing money into their jurisdictions through taxation, and that is to be applauded.
