Tripadvisor reveals the fastest-growing summer destinations for Britons, with Zakynthos top for foreign trips and Torquay No.1 at home (and staycation searches are up 384%)

• Searches for experiences by UK travellers this month increased by 128 per cent 
• Almost half (44 per cent) plan to take two or more holidays this summer
• 6 of the top 10 spots for Tripadvisor clicks from Britons are Greek destinations 

With lockdown restrictions beginning to lift, travel is on everyone’s minds again – albeit largely domestically for the time being.

Tripadvisor site data shows that the number of travellers in the UK searching for British staycations this month has increased by 384 per cent compared with the first week of January – and it’s Torquay that has seen the biggest year-on-year increase in searches.

In second place is the Lake District’s Windermere and York is in third place, with Tsilivi in Zakynthos top for trips abroad.

Torquay has seen the biggest year-on-year increase in Tripadvisor searches 

Windermere has seen the second-biggest increase in searches, according to Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor reveals that searches for experiences (attractions and tours) by UK travellers this month increased by 128 per cent compared with the first week of January and restaurant searches are up 100 per cent.

According to a recent Tripadvisor survey, almost half of Britons (47 per cent) are planning to travel this summer, rising to 50 per cent and 51 per cent respectively when looking at Gen Z and Millennials.

And they’re apparently going to feast on travel opportunities.

Almost half (44 per cent) plan to make up for lost time by taking two or more holidays, while one in eight (13 per cent) plan to take at least three.

For Britons heading to Torquay this summer, the most popular thing to do, according to bookings on Tripadvisor, is a gin-making experience at The Gin Nest, where you will be guided in the art of distilling your own craft gin using a traditional copper pot. 

TRIPADVISOR’S FASTEST-GROWING DESTINATIONS FOR BRITONS THIS SUMMER 

Fastest-growing domestic destinations

1. Torquay, Devon

2. Windermere, Cumbria

3. York

4. Newquay, Cornwall

5. Bath, Somerset

6. Whitby, Yorkshire

7. Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria

8. Brighton, East Sussex

9. Portree, Isle of Skye

10. Bournemouth, Dorset

Fastest -growing international destinations

1. Tsilivi (Planos), Zakynthos, Greece

2. Cong, County Mayo, Ireland

3. Soufriere, St Lucia

4. Oia, Santorini, Greece

5. Laganas, Zakynthos, Greece

6. Paris. France

7. Mykonos Town, Greece

8. Imerovigli, Santorini, Greece

9. Analipsi, Crete, Greece

10. Ayia Napa, Cyprus

Source: Tripadvisor 

York is third in the top 10 Tripadvisor search ranking 

The rest of the top 10 domestic trending destinations comprises Newquay (fourth), Bath (fifth); Whitby (sixth); Bowness-on-Windermere (seventh), Brighton (eighth), Portree on the Isle of Skye (ninth), and Bournemouth (tenth).

Internationally, Greece is trending heavily as six of the top ten spots for Tripadvisor clicks from UK travellers are Greek destinations.

The site acknowledges that this is possibly owing to the fact that Greece has recently been vocal about its hopes to reopen its doors to tourists in mid-May, providing that they have been vaccinated, have antibodies or can provide a negative Covid test.

The foreign destination that has seen the biggest year-on-year increase in searches is Tsilivi in Zakynthos (pictured)

After Tsilivi, the next fastest-growing international destinations are Cong in County Mayo, Ireland (second); Soufriere in St Lucia (third); Oia in Santorini (fourth); Laganas, Zakynthos (fifth); Paris (sixth); Mykonos Town (seventh); Imerovigli, Santorini (eighth), Analipsi, Crete (ninth), and Ayia Napa, Cyprus (tenth).

For Britons planning to head to Tsilivi (also known as Planos) this summer (should government guidelines allow), the most popular thing to do, according to bookings on Tripadvisor, is a tour of the island that includes a visit to the famous Shipwreck Beach (also known as Navagio Beach).

Tripadvisor says: ‘On this once-in-a-lifetime experience you will get to see the beautiful cove that is only accessible by boat. The beach got its name after a ship crashed onto the shore in 1980 – and it’s still there today. You’ll also ride a glass-bottom boat out to the island’s famous Blue Caves and have a chance to swim in Xigia Beach’s sulphur-rich, spa-like waters.’

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