Winter sun most popular with chilly Brits

November 19, 2009

Winter sun most popular with chilly Brits

Forget hitting the slopes or hiding away in a country retreat, most Brits want sun, sea and sand this winter, according to the latest survey by HolidayExtras.com.

As the nights draw in and temperatures drop, 56% of customers polled by the UK's market-leading travel add-ons company said that their ultimate winter holiday involved the sunshine and a beach.

A homely 16% of customers admitted their ideal winter break was to stay at their house with guests to visit, although just 10% of women fancied this compared to 23% of men. And interestingly, more than double the number of women (21%) than men (9%) said their ideal winter holiday would be a spa break in a glamorous country house (15% of total vote).

In contrast, it's the men who would prefer to head to the mountains this season. Ten per cent of those surveyed opted for winter sports, with 12% of men hoping to hit the slopes and just 6% of women feeling the same.

A UK cottage stay was the dream winter break for only 3% of HolidayExtras.com customers.

Mike Whiting, managing editor at HolidayExtras.com, said: "Once the days get shorter and colder, most of us want to start planning a break. I personally can't think of anything better than relaxing somewhere hot with a good read. And, as always, it's wise to book ahead to get the best deals on all your travel arrangements and holiday add-ons."

Antonia Lee-Bapty, winter sports expert for the Holiday Extras expert panel, said: “The sun worshippers are missing out! What could be better than relaxing with a vin chaud after a hard day’s skiing? If you’re one of the ten per cent whose dream winter break involves heading to the mountains, you’re in luck – this season is shaping up to be a great one with fantastic snow falls across both Europe and North America already. Many resorts are now open or will be in the next couple of weeks, so now is the time to think about booking that early season trip.”