Law of averages puts Spain top of the holiday pile

The golden stretches of the Costa del Sol are perennial favourites for British holidaymakers

Relying on the ‘law of averages’ has always been tricky. After all, it was the law of averages that gave us ‘2.4 children’ and it usually denotes a not-so-happy medium: the mean, the middle, the unexciting.

But when it comes to something that is inherently exciting and individual, such as holidays, then the law of averages is actually pretty useful, not least because a recent survey by the Travel Supermarket has applied this logic to the tourism industry and discovered that the typical Brits’ holiday for 2015 will be a ten-day trip to Spain…

According to the study, Spain remains far-and-away the most popular destination outside of the UK, followed by the USA, France and Italy.

Travel Supermarket found that the average holidaymaker will spend an impressive £1,220 on their main holiday next year, with many planning on taking a second, shorter foreign excursion too.

Overall, the average Brit will enjoy three breaks in 2015, with more than 30 per cent planning a staycation – a holiday in the UK. Typically, though, the average holiday in 2015 for Brits will be a ten-day trip to a Spanish beach resort.

For luxury, beaches, shopping, history and stunning weather, the Costa del Sol has it all

The study found that 12 per cent of Brits planning on heading overseas will visit Spain, making the country the most popular destination for the third year running. Around eight per cent will visit the USA, with five per cent making the short hop to France, three per cent heading to Italy and another three per cent making the longer trek to Greece.

Unsurprisingly, the study revealed that beach breaks will be the most popular form of holiday, with 29 per cent of those surveyed heading to a foreign or domestic coastal resort in 2015. However, adventure trips, luxury retreats and city breaks are growing in popularity, with each growing by more than a third on last year. Conversely, fewer people are planning to hire out a private cottage or villa.

Travel Supermarket’s annual Travel Trends Tracker has revealed that consumer confidence is higher for next year than it has been for a long while, with Brits keener than ever to splash the cash on their travels – the average spending kitty per Brit has risen to more than £500 per holiday.

“Holiday habits are often a reflection of consumer confidence and the results of our Travel Trends Tracker indicate that the mood of the nation is becoming more positive,” said Travel Supermarket’s travel expert, Bob Atkinson.

“We’re seeing more people starting to spend more on their main break, go away more often on holidays and even book more luxurious and costly trips.”

Atkinson confirmed that while Spain remained a firm favourite, a number of Brits are now seeking something more than a simple “fly and flop” sunny holiday, with city breaks seen as an increasingly attractive choice.

Fancy a city break? Then why not visit Córdoba, Seville, Granada or Málaga?

Luckily for holidaymakers considering the Costa del Sol, the region offers all of this and more. Beach lovers are spoilt for choice, from Torremolinos to Tarifa, while those in search of luxury need look no further than the glamorous resorts of Marbella and Puerto Banús. And for city fun there are few more attractive conurbations than Málaga, Córdoba, Granada and Seville – all of which are within an easy drive to the finest beaches and mountains in Europe.