Hot holiday trends for summer

bmibaby is reporting a peak in bookings for summer sun destinations, giving a taster of which routes will be hot for summer 2009 from East Midlands, Birmingham International, Manchester and Cardiff International Airport. The top three destinations for the summer are Malaga, Palma and Faro, Portugal.

The airline is also seeing a huge number of consumers searching online for summer sun destinations, showing that people are now increasingly looking to plan their sunshine escape. bmibaby’s own results showed a huge increase in searches for flights to the Mediterranean in February 2009 compared to January 2009. Tracking statistics showed that during February over 1.3 million people searched on Google for flights to Alicante, Malaga, Barcelona and the Algarve, compared to just 87,500 during January 2009*.

bmibaby found the top European destination searched for in Google for February 2009 was Alicante, yet during January 2009 it was Edinburgh, and Alicante did not even make the top ten list of destinations searched. This shows that consumers are now looking ahead to summer holiday destinations.

The airline has also seen a rise in people viewing their online Mediterranean destination guides. Views of the Alicante guide at bmibaby.com increased by 160 per cent and Faro by 172 per cent for the week ending 22 February 2009, in comparison to the week ending 25 January 2009.

As a result of consumer demand for flights to the Mediterranean, bmibaby recently announced an extra 30 flights a week to and from its most popular sunshine destinations for summer 2009.

Crawford Rix, managing director, bmibaby, said:

“We are seeing a huge number of people searching for hot destinations this summer which is translating into bookings to the typical sun destinations such as Portugal and mainland Spain. With the current economic downturn consumers want to make sure their annual summer holiday guarantees them some sunshine.

“In order to meet demand from consumers to Mediterranean destinations we have recently increased capacity by an extra 30 flights a week to and from our most popular sunshine routes so that everyone can get to these red hot destinations this summer.”

With more and more holiday destinations to choose from, deciding where to go to is often one of the toughest decisions! Listed below are bmibaby’s top recommendations for the hottest destinations for 2009.

1. Majorca: The sunny island of Majorca is a great escape for the summer. With its golden sandy beaches and year round sunshine, it is easy to see why Majorca consistently tops the nation’s favourite holiday destination polls. The island is an excellent choice with families as most hotels offer entertainment, and the island is home to a number of water parks.

2. Alicante: For those wishing to raise temperatures and bask in the heat, Alicante is the perfect summer destination. With temperatures in June, July and August hitting the thirties, Alicante is a great beach retreat and provides the perfect base to explore the nearby resorts of Costa Blanca, Torrevieja and Murcia.

3. Malaga: Dubbed the capital of the Costa del Sol, Malaga is considered to be one of the most cultural cities of Spain. With the Picasso museum, cathedral and the abundant beaches of the Costa del Sol, Malaga offers a host of things to do for culture lovers and sun worshipers alike.

4. Almeria: Conveniently placed between the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca, Almeria is one of the few places in Spain where you can see beautiful Andalucian villages juxtaposed with stunning beaches and dramatic scenery. Steeped in history, Almeria is home to a fantastic array of restaurants, which serve excellent local cuisine.

5. Menorca: This sunny island provides a tranquil break away and has many beautiful white sandy beaches, unexplored coves and ravines. The capital city Mahon sits upon one of the world’s largest and most beautiful natural harbours. This cosmopolitan city has a rich legacy of heritage and culture which offers a wealth of attractions for the inquisitive explorer.

6. Murcia: This destination is one of the hidden gems of Spain and offers something for everyone, from foodies to family and from students to sun lovers. With its cosmopolitan culture and laid back atmosphere, visitors will fall in love with Murcia.

7. Algarve: Portugal has many beautiful beaches and the city of Faro has a picturesque old town and a palm lined marina. During the summer months Portugal receives up to twelve hours of sunshine a day, perfect for those looking for a sunny summer destination.

For more information, visit bmibaby.com.

*Please note that all research is taken from bmibaby’s own analytics and is independent of any search engine results.