Brazil becomes South America's 'rising star' destination
As winter looms over the UK, British holidaymakers searching for winter sun in 2010 cast their cash towards South America, citing Brazil as the regional favourite.
Hot on Brazil's heels is Argentina with a 134% rise in search, followed by Paraguay at 127%. Destinations within both Brazil and Argentina featured twice in the top five alone, with Brazil taking a clear win - appearing no less than 22 times for different destinations within a list of 50 South American locations.
Brazil's charm has been gathering speed over the years, influencing everything from bikinis to food, music, and now film. The last year has seen the added benefit of diminishing ground costs, making the destination sexier than ever. Last year, for example, the average price of a sandwich cost almost £3 whereas this year, it costs just under £2. This, coupled with the fact that the country is entering its spring season, means great weather, less crowding and significant cost savings.
Comparing the number of searches made in the first six months of 2010 with the same period last year, the report from Cheapflights.co.uk charts which destinations have risen in popularity throughout the year and which have fallen out of favour.
"Given that the UK is now officially in autumn, travellers searching for sun have to look south of the equator," says Nadine Hallak, Travel Expert for Cheapflights.co.uk.
"While several South American destinations are still suffering the effects of a global recession, their seasonal appeal, low ground costs and the fact that long-haul travel is making a welcome return, have all helped to significantly boosted tourism," says Hallak.
Top destinations in ranking order include:
Ranking Destination Percentage change over 2009
1 Porto Seguro, Brazil +194%
2 Mendoza, Argentina +134%
3 Asuncion, Paraguay +127%
4 Belo Horizonte, Brazil +126%
5 Cordoba, Argentina +119%
On the flip side, the below destinations saw the biggest drop in popularity from 2009 to 2010:
Ranking Destination Percentage change over 2009
46 Maracaibo, Venezuela +1%
47 Porto Alegre, Brazil 0%
48 Sao Luis, Brazil -10%
49 Manaus, Brazil -12%
50 Porlamar, Venezuela -61%
To see Cheapflights.co.uk's full list of 50 destinations in the 2010 Destination Popularity Index, visit: cheapflights.co.uk/promos/southamericas-rising-stars/
Methodology
The 2010 South America Report was compiled by comparing the difference in search volume between the first half of 2009 and the first half of 2010 for the 50 most searched destinations in South America.