European Holiday Trends: British Travel Statistics
With the resurgence of European travel in recent years, the most popular destinations to visit have shifted. If you’ve ever wondered where the most popular travel destination in Europe is from the UK, or whether people prefer coastal holidays to inland vacations during the summer months, you’re in the right place!
Here, we reveal everything you need to know about 2025 European Holiday trends for British Travellers.
To uncover the insider scoop on European holiday destinations popular among Brits, we analysed 42 European countries using Google Keyword Planner. This analysis focused on search volumes for each country over the past 24 months, pairing each country's name with the word "holiday" to form the search phrase "country + holiday." We then went deeper using the same methodology, analysing over 1,000 European destinations to discover the most popular places for European holidays.
Please note: the UK is excluded from this data, and the analysis shows search volumes for UK-based travellers only. All data is accurate as of January 2025.
Holiday Destination Statistics: a Summary
In a rush? Here’s the quick version:
- Turkey takes the top spot as the most searched European country for Brits to holiday in.
- Malta and Greece closely trail Turkey as the second and third most searched holiday destinations for Brits in 2024.
- Coastal destinations remain the top choice for British travellers, with the top five most-searched countries offering stunning beaches and iconic coastlines.
- The lover's island of Santorini is a clear favourite among British travellers, boasting over 2 million searches in 2024, making it the most popular place within a country on British traveller's lists.
- Demand from UK travellers for holidays in Albania has skyrocketed, with 182K more searches in 2024 than in 2023.
- Demand for vacations in Iceland is on the decline, with ‘Iceland Holidays’ experiencing the largest drop in search volume from UK travellers, with 99K fewer searches compared to 2023.
Holiday Destination Statistics
Most Popular Holiday Destinations for British Travellers
Our data found that:
- Turkey is the most searched holiday destination in Europe for Brits, with an impressive 663K searches for the term ‘Turkey holidays’ in 2024.
- Malta is the second most searched holiday destination for Brits, with 660K searches for the term ‘Malta holidays’ in 2024.
- Demand from UK travellers for holidays in Malta has increased year on year, with 172K more searches in 2024 than in 2023.
- Greece is the third most searched holiday destination for Brits with 528K searches for the term ‘Greece holidays’ in 2024.
- Albania is the fourth most popular destination for Brits, with 504K searches for the term ‘Albania holidays’ in 2024.
- Demand from UK travellers for holidays in Albania has skyrocketed, with 182K more searches in 2024 than in 2023.
- Croatia is the fifth most popular destination for Brits, with 489K searches for the term ‘Croatia holidays’ in 2024.
Most popular month to plan a holiday
- January is the most popular time for British travellers to start planning their holidays, with 712K searches for European destinations during the first month of the year.
- This is closely followed by July which is also popular for British travellers to plan their holidays, as they seize the opportunity for last-minute travel deals.
- Demand from UK travellers has increased, with 7.3% more searches in 2024 than in 2023.
- The arrival of colder months deters British travellers from planning their holidays, with November seeing the lowest searches for European destinations, with just 250K searches.
Country with the biggest drop in popularity for British Travellers
- Iceland experienced the largest drop in search volume from UK travellers, with 99,500 fewer searches - a 23% decrease compared to 2023. While it remains an expensive destination, the data suggests that Brits are increasingly more price-sensitive when planning holidays.
- While Turkey remains the most popular holiday destination for Brits, the data reveals a steady decline in interest year on year, with 36K fewer searches for "Turkey Holidays" in 2024 compared to 2023.
- Interestingly, Iceland was the most searched holiday destination in November and December 2024. Year-on-year analysis reveals that Iceland was the top-searched holiday destination in December, November, and October 2023, and second in September 2023. This underscores Iceland’s status as a popular winter destination, in contrast to other countries on the list, which are predominantly summer destinations. Despite this seasonal appeal, Iceland’s overall popularity has declined compared to 2023.
Most Popular Place for a European Break from the UK
- We analysed over 1,000 European places to crown the lover's island of Santorini as the most searched place within a country for UK travellers. Boasting over 2M searches in 2024, Santorini is a clear favourite among British travellers
- The historic city of Corfu closely follows Santorini, with 1.5M searches by British travellers in 2024
- The seaside destination of Antalya is the third most popular destination within a country for Brits to visit, with 1.44M searches, closely followed by Istanbul at 1.42M searches
- Game of Thrones fans will love to hear that Dubrovnik is the most popular destination for Brits to visit in Croatia, and the fifth most popular city, with 1.3M searches, closely followed by Split (1.2M)
Most Popular up and coming Holiday Destination for Brits in Europe
- Demand from UK travellers for holidays in Albania has skyrocketed with a 57% increase in searches year on year. Albania’s dramatic coastline, impressive beaches and affordability make it well-positioned to welcome more British visitors in 2025.
- This year-on-year increase equates to 182K more searches in 2024 than in 2023.
- Demand from UK travellers for holidays in Montenegro has also increased, with a 50% increase in searches yearly.
- This year-on-year increase equates to 94K more searches in 2024 than in 2023.
- Demand from UK travellers for holidays in Malta also increased in 2024, with 35% more searches generated. Malta's growing popularity as a holiday destination is driven by its short flight time from the UK, budget-friendly flights, affordable costs, and mild to warm weather year-round.
- This year-on-year increase equates to a whopping 172K more searches in 2024 than in 2023
- Bosnia saw an impressive 122% increase in search volume in 2024
- While this represents a modest numerical increase of 15,280 searches, it highlights Bosnia’s growing appeal. Its natural beauty and affordability position it as a destination with potential for significant growth.
Is Demand for European Holidays on the rise for British Travellers?
- Demand for European travel as a whole is soaring, with an overall 7% increase in 2024 compared to 2023
Inspired to take your own holiday?
Hopefully, this rundown has helped you get a better understanding of holiday interest from British travellers across Europe. Holidays are an integral part of life, and decisions about yours should be made carefully to ensure that you get the best possible holiday for you. Wherever you decide to go on holiday this year, we hope that you enjoy yourself! For more information on the latest travel guides, travel inspiration and destination ideas, check out our travel resources and cruises page.
Full Report