Britons more in love with Valentine’s Day than ever

Britain is a nation of undercover romantics as millions get ready to celebrate a traditional Valentine’s Day, according to a survey carried out by online travel and leisure retailer lastminute.com.

Contrary to popular belief, a staggering 75% look forward to Valentine’s Day and see it as an excuse to shower their loved one in style. Surprisingly, a mere 9% revealed they would avoid it at all costs seeing the day as a commercial con.

Brits are going back to their traditional roots with surprise romantic trips away being all the rage. Best-seller Paris is up 15% year on year followed by Rome which this year has seen an amazing increase of 46%. The third position is for vibrant Barcelona, closely followed by this year’s fastest growing destination, Amsterdam, up 47% year on year and Venice with bookings up by 40 %.

Even in the UK, Britons will be scaling the dizzy heights to love, with lastminute.com seeing a record number of bookings for Tower Bridge with sales already up 10% year on year and this is expected to accelerate rapidly as we get closer to 14 February. Bookings for restaurants are also expected to go through the roof as four out of ten customers are planning a romantic meal.

Dream presents come as no surprise with the traditional engagement ring still topping the list for girls, closely followed by roses, proving that diamonds and flowers are still a girl’s best friend. Dirty weekends away are the most popular for the men.

Not to be outdone, singletons are also looking for romance with 52% swapping a night in with a microwave meal for a major night out with friends on a quest for some flirting fun, confirming the growing trend of singles’ parties and speed dating events which take place across the country on 14th February.