Moffat proving popular for Scots looking to book a staycation

Moffat is proving increasingly popular with Scots looking to book a staycation.

New figures show it has seen the biggest growth in holiday cottage bookings of anywhere in Scotland this year. And next on the list are Thornhill and Dumfries.

The figures were revealed by Sykes Holiday Cottages as part of their Scotland Staycation Index.

They found more than three-quarters of Scots and nearly a third of Brits plan to holiday in the country this year. Dumfries and Galloway is the second most popular region – behind only the Highlands – with bookings up more than 35 per cent on 2019.

And Southerness has been the most popular place in the country for bookings this year, ahead of Kirkcudbright. Whithorn, Gatehouse, Isle of Whithorn and Moffat also make the top 10.

Southerness is also the top place for an autumn break.

Sykes Holiday Cottages chief executive Graham Donoghue said: “As a proud Scot myself, it’s easy to see why the country is a firm favourite amongst holidaymakers.

“Scotland provides welcome respite for many looking to escape and explore the great outdoors after being cooped up over the past 18 months – and we’re seeing this reflected in a surge of bookings for the rest of this year and even into 2022.

“The pandemic will have a lasting impact on us all and this is especially true for how people holiday. The shift towards holidays at home is likely to stick and we expect people to continue opting for ‘Scotcations’ in the years to come.”