Three-va España! Leading mobile network predicts top travel destinations for 2024

With the arrival of January pay-day, Brits are already planning their next getaway in the sun. To help the nation ‘Go Roam’ to this year’s best places to visit, mobilenetwork Three has partnered with travel expert Hayley Sparkes to predict the top holiday trends of 2024. Three, the UK’s Fastest 5G Network*, offers built-in roaming with up to 56 daily passes for up to 71 worldwide destinations – making it the perfect travel companion.

Hayley said; “The trend we are seeing this year is really interesting – holidaymakers arefavouring sun, short-haul and savvy spending. It seems that Brits want the comfort of aclassic holiday destination, so I am not surprised that Spain has been voted the topdestination for Brits to visit.

”According to the research, 1 in 4 (23 percent) are eager to brush up on their Spanish andbook a trip to enjoy the local food and sunshine. Last year, a whopping 7.8 million GB ofdata was consumed by Three customers in the country – enough to stream 5.2 millionfootball matches. Italy and Greece trail closely, as 2 in 3 (66 percent) will travel shorterdistances as sustainable travel is on the rise. The mobile network expects travellers roamingin these European hotspots with Three to consume over 2.4 million GB of data this August –a rise of over 50% from last year.

54% of holidaymakers are most excited about getting some sun while abroad, and 34% citefood as why people are flocking to a destination – so this summer, expect a social mediatakeover of patatas bravas, Paella and beachside selfies.

Hayley continues: “Spain is blessed with some of the best weather in Europe making it agreat all year-round destination. With the average flight time from the UK a little over 2hours, Spain is the perfect choice for a weekend break or a last-minute getaway. Myrecommended hotspots include Barcelona, Seville, San Sebastián, Granada, Puerto Banús,and the spectacular mountaintop city of Rhonda. – Viva España!”

For the more adventurous holidaymakers, Australia and New Zealand are some of thisyear’s go-tos, with nearly 1 in 4 (22 percent) willing to face the dreaded jetlag and explorethese far-reaching countries. While Bali, Singapore and Brazil also made it in the top 20 list,many Brits will be sticking to tighter travel budgets this year. Nearly half (44 percent) aremore likely to book a budget holiday compared to previous years, with the biggest bargain-hunters coming from London (61 percent), Edinburgh (45 percent), and Bristol (43 percent).

The nation is savvy when it comes to booking holidays on a budget, as 37 percent shoparound for the best value deals. TripAdvisor and Booking.com are Three customers’favourite travel apps, with usage peaking in July and August, suggesting they’re eitherscouring last minute deals or checking up on the trips they’ve already planned.To help travellers get even more out of their holiday budget, Hayley shares the following tips:

1) Stay open-minded – If your holiday needs to be driven by a budget this year, don’tbe afraid to travel to somewhere you may not have considered before. Cities likeBilbao and San Sebastián are much more budget-friendly, and may end upexceeding all of your expectations!

2) Consider booking your holiday via a travel agent – as almost 50% of the world’sholiday bookings are not available online. A travel professional can search through awider choice of options for you to help find the perfect getaway match.

3)Make sure you make the most of travel ‘peaks’ – this is when tour operators andhoteliers have the very best deals available. The offers kick off on Boxing Day andlast for 8 weeks, with 60% of all holidays sold being booked within this window,making it the best time to find a holiday deal.

4) Smaller towns can offer authentic experiences – and may be more affordablethan the more widely known destinations. Instead of Cannes and St Tropez, tryCassis in France, perfect for beating the crowd, discovering family run eateries andexperiencing the local lifestyle.

5) Avoid any unexpected charges – by making the most of your mobile network’sroaming offerings, such as Three’s built-in roaming to 71 worldwide destinations.Whether it’s checking directions on a road trip or texting your friends back home,having access to your phone when abroad and on the go is essential.

When booking holidays this year, connectivity will stay front of mind, as travellers say theyturn their roaming on as soon as they’ve arrived at a destination (26 percent), after textingtheir loved ones to let them know they’re safe (42 percent). Holidaymakers can stayconnected to home through the customisable Three Your Way plans, with inclusive roamingat top travel spots.

To find out more about Three Your Way, visit: https://www.three.co.uk/why-three/three-your-way