Blackpool retains number one popularity spot

Saturday, 15 Jun, 2007 0

Blackpool’s popularity as the top UK seaside destination has not been dented by the resort’s failure to win the super casino licence, according to new bookings data.

Online travel and leisure retailer lastminute.com has claimed a 113.5% growth in bookings year on year for Blackpool, although actual booking numbers wer not provided.

Lastminute.com reviewed its hotel and attractions bookings to find the most popular seaside resorts across Britain.

The top five coastal destinations are: Blackpool, Brighton, Bournemouth, Torquay and Eastbourne.

More than 20 million domestic holiday trips are taken to seaside resorts and numbers are expected to grow as towns renovate tourist attractions, hotels and restaurants. Beaches are also the cleanest they have ever been this year with the largest number of Blue Flags ever awarded in 2007.

Responding to this growing trend, lastminute.com has launched a new “Seaside Hotels” section in its hotel category offering a variety of stunning properties across the coastal resorts in the UK.

The online retailer says Blackpool is the most popular seaside destination in the UK and has reinvented itself as ‘the’ seaside resort of the North West. It is home to Britain’s most visited attraction, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and has recently seen the opening of its first new hotel in 25 years.

With a 41% increase in room nights, Bournemouth is lastminute.com’s third most popular seaside destination.

Once famed for its bad hotels, Torquay has become one of the most popular seaside towns again. Lastminute.com has seen a record increase of 146.6% in room nights year on year taking it to fourth spot, and accommodation has seen a dramatic improvement with new openings and renovations.

Eastbourne is up 14.4% year on year at lastminute.com, making it the fifth most popular destination thanks to its wide range of activities within easy reach.

by Phil Davies

Phil Davies

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