Vietnam, Mexico and Cuba have been highlighted as three of the fastest-growing long-haul holiday destinations for British travellers, according to a new report out today (Tuesday 4 February 2014) from worldwide travel company Kuoni.

To view the full report: click here

The Travel Edit 2014 by Kuoni looks at the changing habits of British travellers based on sales data over the last three years across a number of holiday categories including wallet-friendly destinations, overall bestsellers, honeymoons and sightseeing experiences. 

The report puts Vietnam at the top of the *rising star destinations - the country has jumped nine places in the company's best-selling destination list from 23 in 2011 to 14 in 2013. 

Mexico has seen a huge leap from 29th best-selling destination in 2011 to 17th at the end of last year, thanks to its increasing range of high-quality all-inclusive hotels alongside gorgeous beaches. 

And early indications are that Vietnam, Mexico and Cuba are already becoming three of the most requested long-haul destinations for 2014, set to rise even further up the best-selling holiday list by the end of this year.

Derek Jones, Kuoni managing director, said: "Vietnam has seen huge developments in its tourism industry over the last few years with investment in a wide choice of hotels and sightseeing options. Access to the country has become much easier since Vietnam Airlines launched direct flights from the UK in 2011 and we're now seeing the impact of that - we expect to see it move into our top ten this year for the first time."

But there's no change to the number one bestselling destination for Kuoni for the ninth year running - the Maldives. Its mix of super-luxury resorts set on Robinson-Crusoe-style desert islands, as well as excellent activity options such as diving, sailing and visits to local villages means it continues its appeal not just for couples of all ages - but also increasingly for families.

An early indication of the bestselling destinations for the year ahead is also revealed based on advance sales until the end of January 2014:

Maldives

Thailand

Sri Lanka

United Arab Emirates

USA

Mauritius

Malaysia

Cuba

Antigua

Singapore

Other findings from the report include:

The rise of wallet-friendly worldwide trips:

The value of the pound in many of Kuoni's key destinations is so strong that the total cost of a long-haul holiday including on-the-ground expenses is now comparable with a European break.  Club Bentota, set on a peninsula on Sri Lanka's west coast between Colombo and Galle, tops the list of wallet-friendly hotels with prices from just £24 per person per night on all-inclusive.

More than fly and flop - must-do experiences on the up:

From the Grand Palace Tour in Bangkok to the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam and a Balloon Safari in Kenya to a trip down the River Kwai, demand for experiences and sightseeing trips is growing.  Three tours in Vietnam are now in the list of best-selling experiences.   The most popular is the Cu Chi Tunnels - the underground city that provided sleeping quarters and a command centre for up to 10,000 soldiers in the Vietnam War.

Weddings made in Mauritius:

The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius has taken over from Sri Lanka as the top spot for a sun-kissed wedding ceremony in the eyes of Kuoni customers.

ENDS

For further press information & images or to request a copy of the full report, please contact Kuoni PR:

Jemma Purvis on 01306 744 006 / jemma.purvis@kuoni.co.uk or Nicky Betts on 01306 744 669 / nicky.betts@kuoni.co.uk or Rachel O'Reilly on 07866 427870 / rachel@rorcomms.co.uk

Note to editors:

Report Credentials

Figures in the Travel Edit 2014 by Kuoni are based on multiple sources, namely statistics from booking patterns, actual passenger numbers, customer behaviour and insight from Kuoni's own global destination directors and personal travel experts.

* Rising star destinations are defined as those outside of Kuoni's top ten destinations that have shown the biggest year-on-year increases in sales.

The Report's 2014 figures are based on holiday bookings made up until January 2014.

Kuoni has been undertaking this annual Travel Trends Report since 1980.

About Kuoni:  Kuoni (www.kuoni.co.uk) was established in 1906 in Switzerland by Alfred Kuoni, a visionary adventurer and explorer of his time who opened some of Europe's first travel agencies. 

The company has more than 170 awards, including Best Tour Operator for the past six years at the Daily Telegraph's Ultratravel Awards.

As well as selling luxury worldwide holidays by phone, online and through a network of quality independent travel agents throughout the UK, Kuoni also has its own network of 22 exclusive travel stores across the UK and six Kuoni Partner Stores, which are leading independent travel agents with a first class reputation in their towns and cities. Kuoni can also be found within John Lewis stores in Cardiff, London Oxford Street, Reading, Southampton, Leicester, Brent Cross, Aberdeen and Welwyn.

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