The favourite Easter destination for British holidaymakers is the Canary island of Lanzarote, according to sales figures from the Advantage Travel Partnership.
The organisation has given The Independent a list of best-selling locations, based on sales through its travel agent members.
Lanzarote is proving significantly more popular than the other two big Canaries destinations, Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
Spain is the clear winner as holiday sales move ahead of pre-pandemic levels. As families make up for lost sunshine after the coronavirus pandemic, second and third places in the sales tables are, respectively: Alicante, the airport serving Benidorm and the rest of the Costa Blanca; and Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic Islands.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “There is undeniably a huge appetite for travel this year.
“Across our travel agent partners we are expecting Easter bookings this year to significantly outperform 2019.”
The biggest Greek island, Crete, takes fourth place. It is significantly warmer in April than more northerly isles such as Corfu and Kefalonia.
Surprisingly, Orlando makes the top five – ahead of destinations in France, Portugal or Italy.
The Advantage CEO said: “The inclusion of the US in this suggests that people are continuing to prioritise travel despite the cost-of-living crisis.
“For those who are concerned about costs and are still wanting to travel this Easter, we recommend booking with a travel agent who can find you the best-value deals for your budget.”
Advantage Travel Partnership has also provided the top five for the Coronation holiday in early May, when three bank holidays are scheduled in quick succession – allowing a nine-day holiday for only four days of annual leave.
Mallorca moves to the top of the list, with Tenerife in second place ahead of neighbouring Lanzarote.
Crete is still fourth, but Orlando is replaced by another Greek island, Rhodes.
“It’s great that we’re seeing these kinds of numbers travelling again and that people have a renewed confidence in travel,” said Ms Lo Bue-Said.
The travel boss was speaking as British Airways cancelled dozens of flights ahead of an expected strike by security staff at London Heathrow Terminal 5.
French air-traffic control staff are blamed for continued disruption, which is set to continue through April.
Speaking to The Independent’s daily travel podcast, the Advantage CEO said: “It’s frustrating – all we want to do, and all our members want to do, is be able to provide consumers with great holidays.”
Top 5 Easter destinations
- Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
- Alicante, Spain
- Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
- Crete, Greece
- Orlando, Florida, USA
Top 5 Coronation destinations
- Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
- Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
- Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
- Crete, Greece
- Rhodes, Greece
