With the British weather failing to fulfil the nation’s hopes for a hot and sunny summer break, families are turning to Spain for their yearly fix of sun, sea and sand.
Budget airline easyJet has published a ‘top five’ list of destinations visited by UK tourists in 2011, and Spanish resorts took three of the five spots, with the Spanish city of Palma de Majorca taking up another place. Brits taking advantage of plentiful cheap flights to Malaga made the Spanish city and gateway to the Costa del Sol the most popular holiday spot for 2011 so far. A good range of flights to Alicante from London and other regional hubs gave the Costa Brava gateway second place in the list, and large numbers of holidaymakers finding good deals on flights to Palma de Majorca gave the Spanish island third place in the list.
The booming popularity of budget flights to Faro brought the Portuguese city into the list at number four, as holidaymakers headed to the country’s stunning Algarve region for sun, sand and perhaps some of the area’s outstanding golf courses. Barcelona completed the list at number five, offering visitors an appealing blend of vibrant city culture and a variety of accommodation choices with the option of taking days out at the beaches around the city.
“The sandy shores, blue seas and promise of sunshine keep Brits flocking to Spain year after year for a relaxing summer break,” commented easyJet’s UK director Paul Simmons. He said that there were still plenty of good deals to be had on flights across Europe, offering Brits an easy escape from what looked like being a disappointing summer in the UK.
“Whether it’s a short city break away or a longer family holiday, all is not lost for those wanting to get a dose of summer sun.”
