REVEALED: BRITS FAVOUR BLIGHTY BEACH BREAKS AS SUN SHINES ON UK’S SEASIDE TOWNS

Best Western GB reveals most popular and ‘one to watch’ coastal destinations

With the sunny weather predicted to return in July, Brits are swapping airport queues for the Great British seaside as the popularity of staycations continues to soar.

Best Western GB, one of the biggest and well-known hotel brands in the UK, has revealed its most popular UK seaside locations for Summer 2019, in addition to its ‘ones to watch’ destinations – locations that have seen the biggest increase in bookings vs last summer.

According to the hotel group’s booking figures for this summer compared to last, 5% more Brits are opting to stay closer to home and make the most the anticipated sunny weather for a classic British coastal holiday. The findings also reflect significant investments in some of the hotel group’s coastal properties, as hoteliers look to entice British holidaymakers and reinvigorate the Great British seaside escape. 

Although the usual suspects of Blackpool and Newquay are seen in its most popular destinations, the ‘ones to watch’ list throws up some brilliantly different locations including Lancashire’s beautiful bay-town of Morecambe, who have seen booking increases of 129%, the un-spoilt pier town of Aberavon, Swansea, which has increased by 37%, and the dramatic seascapes of the Isle of Arran up by 47%.

An example of standout seaside success is that of The Best Western Plus Burlington Hotel in Folkestone, which has seen booking growth of over 50% through the Best Western channels this summer, following investment of over £2M in recent years after a complete renovation of the hotel.

With prices for international travel tipped to rise as a result of the uncertainty around Brexit, experts are predicting even greater growth in 2019 after a third of Brits opted for a staycation in 2018 in according to figures released by VisitBritain. It reflects a boom in visitors to traditional seaside getaway locations, with Best Western GB reporting an overall 5% increase for its coastal summer bookings between 2018 and 2019.

Rob Paterson, CEO at Best Western GB, said: “Pack your buckets and spades, the great British seaside is making a comeback! It’s brilliant to see some quintessentially British resorts report uplifts in bookings, and we know from the investment some of our hotels have been making that visitors are returning to our coasts in greater numbers, so don’t miss out on this summer’s hottest trend and head to a British shoreline this summer – there’ll be a Best Western waiting to welcome you.”

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About Best Western GB

Best Western is a brilliantly different collection of independent hotels proudly giving a personal welcome to guests for over 70 years. With over 260 distinctive hotels in Great Britain alone, there is more to explore with Best Western.

Best Western GB is a retained-profit membership organisation that helps hotels maintain their independence. Committed to representing the views of its independently owned member hotels, Best Western GB tackles key industry issues on their behalf, including the effects of Government policies and legislation, industry changes and environmental impact on the heartbeat of the Great British hospitality industry.

To find out more visit Best Western GB's Media Centre: www.bestwestern.co.uk/company/best-western-media-centre