UK: Airbnb has revealed the top ten seaside destinations in the United Kingdom which have seen the highest surge in bookings this summer, as holidaymakers flock away from cities to enjoy staycations in the absence of international travel.
According to the platform, the domestic seaside hotspot which has seen the largest increase in bookings this summer is Colwyn Bay, a town on the north coast of Wales overlooking the Irish Sea.
Behind that, Bridlington on the Yorkshire coast and Minehead in Somerset also saw sharp rises in domestic bookings, in part down to their beaches, natural scenery and local sightseeing landmarks.
On the publication of the top trending destinations in the UK this summer, Airbnb said the ten seaside hotspots together had generated more than £600,000 for hosts in the month of July alone. That figure is likely to rise further in August as families escape for a summer break during the school holidays.
The list of the most popular seaside hotspots in the UK this summer are as follows:
- Colwyn Bay, Conwy County, Wales
- Bridlington, Yorkshire and the Humber, England
- Minehead, Somerset, England
- Bognor Regis, West Sussex, England
- Morecambe, Lancashire, England
- Lowestoft, Suffolk, England
- Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales
- Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England
- Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England
- Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland
To mark each destination’s surge in popularity, Airbnb is collaborating with UK-based artists, Beca Fflur and Minnie Small, to create bespoke, traditional-style postcards in a tribute to each area’s cultural highlights. The postcards can be downloaded on the Airbnb website here.
At the end of July, hotel chain Travelodge said it was predicting that this summer’s surge in bookings for staycations would equate to a £24 billion boost for the UK economy.
According to the company’s research conducted in the Travelodge Holiday Index, 55 per cent of the 2000 Brits surveyed were expecting to take a holiday this summer. Moreover, 80 per cent said they would opt for a staycation over venturing abroad, with 70 per cent voicing their fears about international travel due to potential spikes elsewhere and the threat of further travel restrictions being imposed.
