Study reveals which destinations are the most searched for during wintertime

• Searches for ‘last minute holidays’ over the past month have increased by 90%
• Tenerife, Barbados, and Mauritius are the most searched-for winter destinations overall
• Scuba diving and jet skiing are the top two activities for Brits to try this winter

Tenerife, Barbados, and Mauritius are the most searched for destinations according to new research.

Brits are flocking south to escape the winter chill with last minute holiday searches up 140% and demand for sun-soaked breaks in 2022 up 50% over the past month.

In further research, Thomas Cook also uncovered that Brits are keen to conquer their fears and try new activities while they’re away with scuba diving and jet skiing top of their lists….

Which destinations are the most searched for during winter?

Over the past month, as chilly temperatures have risen, so have searches for ‘last minute holidays’ which have increased by 140% on Google. The term ‘winter sun holidays’ is at peak popularity and ‘winter holidays in the sun’ have increased by 500% over the past month.

The study analysed internal data and Google search volumes from last winter – the months of October 2021 to March 2022 to work out which destinations are the most popular and searched for during winter.

Tenerife takes the crown for first place as the most searched-for destination with a whopping 96,583 searches. The Canary Island stays warm all year round with the lowest temperatures hitting 15°C in January. The destination is popular with Brits due to its short flight and range of activities.

Unsurprisingly due to its hot climate, Barbados follows in second place with 47,850 average searches. The best time to visit this Caribbean Island country is between mid-December and mid-April during the dry season with temperatures averaging at 30°C.

Mauritius follows in third with an average of 31,517 searches. Known for its white sandy beaches and exotic wildlife, this island country is about as tropical as you can get.

The best time of year to visit Mauritius is between October and December when it is hot with low rainfall. The hottest month of the year is March when the average temperature is between 21°C and 27°C.

The top 10 searched winter destinations
Rank	Destination	Average Google Search Volumes over last winter
1	Tenerife	96,583
2	Barbados	47,850
3	Mauritius	31,517
4	Malta	30,800
5	Rome	22,500
6	Florida	22,050
7	Paris	15,083
8	Jersey	14,633
9	Sri Lanka	11,550
10	Sicily	8,483

Which holiday activities are the most feared by Brits? 

The study analysed Brits’ top feared activities on holiday and which activities they dread the most.

With over a third of the UK being unable to swim and having a fear of water ^[1], it is unsurprising that so many of the most feared holiday activities are sea or water based, with six of the top 10 involving being in, on or next to the sea.

This common fear sees swimming in the sea taking the top spot with a fifth (20%) being afraid of taking the plunge, followed closely by scuba diving (18%). In third place is taking a helicopter tour (16%) which again is unsurprising as flying is another very common phobia ^[2}.

The top 10 most feared holiday activities
Rank	Holiday Activity	% Of Brits
1	Swimming in the sea	20%
2	Scuba diving	18%
3	Helicopter tour	16%
4	Skiing	15%
5	Jet skiing	13%
6	Visiting the beach	12%
7	Paddleboarding	11%
8	Dune driving	9%
9	Boat trip	8%
10	Go to a viewpoint	7%

The Holiday Attitudes Study has also ranked the adventurous activities Brits most want to conquer their fears for, as FOMO* becomes a problem for many during holiday season.

This shared fear of water appears to be holding many holidaymakers back as scuba diving, jet skiing, paddleboarding, sea and pool swimming, boating and even visiting a beach are all activities Brits most want to do but are being prevented from enjoying because of fear.

Holiday activities Brits most want to conquer their fears for

The activities Brits want to conquer their fears for
Rank	Holiday Activity	% Of Brits
1	Scuba diving	20%
=2	Jet skiing	18%
=2	Helicopter tour	18%
4	Paddleboarding	11%
=5	Swimming in the sea	10%
=5	Dune driving	10%
7	Safari tour	9%
8	Hiring boat/yacht	8%
=9	Boat trip	7%
=9	Visiting a beach	7%
=9	Pool swimming	7%

You can find more information on what Brits really want to do on holiday here.