Brits choosing alternative holiday destinations this summer

The latest research from Skyscanner, conducted in association with OnePoll, has shown that 88 per cent of Brits are open to travelling to more alternative or lesser-known destination.

Almost half (49 per cent) said they would likely swap their holiday favourite for an alternative destination if it meant they were likely to save money.

In 2022, only 39 per cent of UK travellers said they wanted to explore new places instead of returning to an old favourite. Skyscanner said this has been reflected in an increase in searches to underrated destinations on its website this year. For example, searches for Biarritz increased 166 per cent and Valencia 165 per cent.

Destinations new to Brits, but not locals

In the survey, Skyscanner compared the number of Brits visiting alternative destinations in a country versus the locals.

For example, 52 per cent of Brits had been to Amsterdam, Netherlands, but only 10 per cent had been to The Hague compared to 86 per cent of Dutch travellers surveyed. The Hague is the seat of the government in the Netherlands and has 11 kilometres of coast – and is also less crowded and cheaper once there.

Also, 51 per cent of Brits are wanting a beach break this summer. Thirty-seven per cent of UK travellers have been to Palma, but only seven per cent had visited El Hierro, whereas 20 per cent of Spanish travellers had been there. El Hierro is the second smallest Canary Island.

Finding alternatives

Laura Lindsay, Skyscanner’s Trends and Destination expert, offers a few suggestions for picking an alternative holiday destination. She suggested using Skyscanner’s new Destination Decider that will match you to a destination option, after answering a few questions on Instagram.

She also recommended the ‘Everywhere’ search on Skyscanner. “Ordered by lowest to highest price from your departure airport to destinations around the globe,” Lindsay said, “an ‘Everywhere’ search can inspire you to go somewhere you’ve never been before, and for a lower price than many traditional summer holiday destinations.”

Finally, being flexible with dates is ‘one of your best chances of finding a bargain’. Lindsay explained, “Flight prices are all based on supply and demand. Because some dates are more popular than others, prices will vary.” Therefore, she suggests looking across the whole month or just a couple of days either side of the original departure date to find cheaper flights.