Brits head for British coast as UK summer breaks boom according to latest study

According to statistics released today by Owners Direct, breaks at the British seaside are becoming increasingly popular among British holidaymakers. Despite April to June this year being the wettest on record, it seems Brits aren’t put off from holidaying at home!

Based on an analysis of top enquiries to the holiday home rental site and fastest growth areas, they have seen sharp increases in tourist hot spots both at home and abroad.

Families are heading for popular UK beach destinations such as St. Ives and Newquay in Cornwall which have both seen a big rise in enquiries. In the lead up to the summer, Owners Direct has also seen a significant increase in the number of enquiries for holidays in the Peak District.

Top Five Destinations 2012 YTD
1. Tenerife
2. Mallorca
3. Lanzarote
4. Barcelona
5. Ibiza Town

Top 5 increase in enquiries 2012 YTD
1. Brighton
2. Newquay
3. St Ives
4. Morzine
5. Dubrovnik

Top destination abroad is Tenerife with the most the most popular property advertised on the listing site being a group of quiet Tenerife apartments within a few minutes’ walk of the beach from £250 week.
With Tenerife offering year round sun, families are opting to holiday out of peak season to benefit from savings on flights and accommodation.

The family destination of Mallorca comes a close second with Lanzarote the third most popular by enquiry level. The vibrant Spanish city of Barcelona comes in at fourth place. Some central Barcelona apartments close to the famous landmark, the Sagrada Familia costing from less than £50 a night are one of the most popular listings on the site.

"We have always had a great deal of interest in Barcelona year round and summer holiday hotspot trends always tend to lean towards the Canaries and Balearics. However we haven’t seen such as sharp increase in enquiries for UK beach breaks before. It seems the UK weather hasn’t dampened anyone’s enthusiasm for a traditional British summer break,” commented Owners Direct Marketing Manager Angela Southall.

Most popular properties
http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/spain/s12805.htm
http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/canaries/c468.htm
Data collected 16th July 2012.

Owners Direct specialises in advertising privately owned holiday accommodation direct from the owner. They have advertised holiday properties since 1997 and on their web site you will find over 40,000 villas, apartments, chalets, farmhouses and cottages. From Fincas in Spain to traditional Riads in Morocco and beach villas in Koh Samui, Owners Direct offer all types of holiday accommodation in a diverse selection countries throughout the world.

In August 2007 Owners Direct became part of HomeAway Inc. which owns some of the largest rentals websites in the US and Europe. They continue to operate as a separate brand from their offices in London.