Surprising holiday destination is now more popular with Brits than Spain - see Top 10

For the first time in 75 years this country has overtaken mainland Spain and the Canary Islands to become our favourite place to travel to thanks to its beaches and affordability

Since package holidays began in the early 1950s from the UK, mainland Spain and the Canary Islands such as Tenerife and Lanzarote have been Britons' most-visited summer destinations.

But new research has found that this summer has seen Turkey had leapfrogged these to become our favourite place to travel.

Booking data from holiday firm On the Beach found Turkey was the most-visited country, followed by the Canaries and Spain. The Balearic Islands, which include Ibiza and Majorca, and Greece, home to popular islands such as Corfu, Rhodes and Kefalonia, made up the top five.

On the Beach also said Egypt had continued its rise as a popular destination this year with a 69% increase in bookings since 2023. Meanwhile the UAE, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi had an increase in visitors this summer with a 41% uplift in bookings.

Zoe Harris, chief customer officer at On the Beach said: “This is huge moment in British holiday history, we have witnessed a seismic shift in where Brits want to holiday and for the very first time, Turkey is top. Destinations such as Antalya, Dalaman, Bodrum and Marmaris have been steadily growing for the past couple of years and this summer they were more popular with holidaymakers than ever before.”

Despite being knocked off top spot, the Canaries continued to be a hotspot for Brits and despite tensions in Tenerife and on other islands regarding tourists, there was still a 10% increase in bookings for this summer.

According to the travel agent's data, there was also a newcomer to the top ten list of most popular destinations. Morocco saw a huge 81% increase in bookings year on year to climb into ninth with the coastal gem of Agadir and its golden sandy beaches seeing the biggest rise in visitors.

Zoe added: “The two destinations to watch for 2025 are definitely Egypt and Morocco. Both offer incredible value for money, have fantastic all-inclusive options, amazing hotels and best of all have almost guaranteed sunshine. Turkey will still dominate next year, alongside the Canaries and Spain, who will continue to hold a special place in British holiday hearts, but it’s the new, up and coming destinations which are really grabbing the headlines right now.”

Turkey has become especially popular with Britons due to its affordability, stunning beaches and scenery and delicious food. It is also a hotspot for medical and even veterinary tourism.

2024 Top Summer Holiday Destinations according to On the Beach

1. Turkey (21%)

2. The Canaries (19.5%)

3. Spain (18.2%)

4. The Balearics (14.1%)

5. Greece (11%)

6. Egypt (3.2%)

7. Portugal (2.6%)

8. UAE (1.6%)

9. Morocco (1.6%)

10. Cyprus (1.6%)

*Remaining 5.6% of bookings spread across other destinations