Brits get creative with holidays

Cuba is a newly popular destination. Picture: Getty

But this year, holidaymakers are looking to ditch the traditional two weeks lazing on a beach in favour of sightseeing and exploring new territory in previously unknown destinations.

A report on travel trends from the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta), in association with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, found that more people are planning a city break than a beach trip in 2015.

More than a third of those surveyed said they intended to go to a country they had never visited next year, while a growing number of UK tourists said they are likely to be “living like a local” by going to little-visited destinations away from traditional tourist centres.

Austria was tipped as the most popular place to visit for next year, while the Netherlands also made the top ten.

Botswana and Cuba were next highest on the list of emerging hot destinations, Abta said, followed by the Dominican Republic, Japan and Latvia.

Spain and the US, long-held favourites of British travellers, also made the top ten, but adventurous 2015 tourists said they wanted to visit the Spanish Canary island of La Gomera and the Pacific coast of America.

One in five travellers planned to increase the amount they spent on holidays in the coming year, while only 15 per cent said they were likely to spend less.

Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said: “We do expect to see the slow but steady signs of recovery that have been characteristic of 2014 continue into next year. We are seeing strong growth from the most affluent end of the market and we expect this to drive interest in luxury and tailor-made packages.”

He added: “The rest of the market remains resilient, with value for money continuing to be a priority. Holidaymakers want their holiday to work hard for them, whether that’s by offering new experiences, combining different destinations or simply delivering great value.”

Based on responses from 2,001 people, the report showed that the most well-off holidaymakers are likely to continue taking a high number of trips in 2015. Last year, this top socio-economic group took 4.7 holidays on average, compared with the nationwide average of three.

Another trend likely to grow in the next 12 months is the “destination celebration” whereby groups travel abroad for weddings or stag and hen parties

A separate survey, by TravelSupermarket, said Britons would spend an average of £1,219 on their main holiday next year – 9 per cent more than in 2014

It also revealed a likely increase in adventure holidays, with Spain remaining the most-popular destination for a trip away, while Turkey and Portugal have decreased in popularity.

NEW HOT SPOTS

1 Austria

2 Botswana

3 Cuba

4 Dominican Republic

5 Japan

6 Latvia

7 La Gomera, Spain

8 Norway

9 Pacific coast of the US

10 Singapore

11 The Netherlands

12 The Peloponnese in Greece