Brits are booking double the number of holidays to France this year compared to three years ago.
The country is enjoying the fastest increase of UK-booked holidays of any nation in the world, with Brits heading there in greater and greater numbers.
France has witnessed a 119% increase in bookings in January 2023 compared to January 2020, while Morocco and Italy follow closely behind, with increases of 91% and 89% respectively, analysis by loveholidays reveals.
Perfect for visitors looking to explore countries with rich histories, vibrant cities and beautiful beaches, Egypt and Portugal completed the top five, with loveholidays reporting an 87% and 71% uplift in bookings respectively.
The French tourism sector has rebounded incredibly well following the Covid lockdowns which put many countries travel industries on ice for more than two years.
According to Atout France, tourists in France spent £50 billion in 2022, an amount that topped by £1.7billion billion the level of spending in 2019.
Around 13 million Britons visited France in 2019 and spent an average of 6.5 days in the country.
While it is not clear whether the demand for French trips among Brits has returned to that level yet - given that coronavirus travel restrictions were still in place for much of 2022 - the loveholidays figures suggest a positive trend.
It is not hard to see why, given the ease and cheapness of getting between the two countries, and the many wonderful places to explore once there.
Paris, the city of lights and love, is top of most people's list, due in part to its splendid architecture, exceptional cuisine and status as home to Europe's only Disney theme park.
Many others like to visit Provence, where rolling hills and lavender fields are interspersed by stunning landscapes and quaint villages.
When the sun starts to shine in the summer months, the French Riviera, its glamorous beaches, picturesque cliffside towns and glistening seas are difficult to beat.
Equally the Loire Valley, which is known for its world-class wineries and exquisite cuisine, is a fine place to indulge for a week or so.
To get there you can either hop on the Eurostar - where seats regularly sell for £39 - or £29 on Le Shuttle.
If you fancy a trip to Paris, then loveholidays currently has a deal costing £359 per person for three nights in April.
The deal includes breakfast, flights from Bristol Airport with easyJet and a stay at the ibis Paris Tour Eiffel, which is a 19 minute walk from the famous monument.
The hotel offers a buffet style breakfast and a bar for the evenings, and there are plenty of restaurants and shops to enjoy nearby.
For those wanting to sightsee, the 16th century Italian-style Palais Garnier opera house is a must to visit, or head over to see the famous Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum.
Top 10 trending holiday spots for Brits
- France
- Morocco
- Italy
- Egypt
- Portugal
- Canary Islands
- Spain
- Holland
- USA
- Malta
The presence of several EU countries in the top ten comes despite a change to the holiday visa system which will impact Brits and come into force for next year.
The 'eurovisa' - which will cost £6 - was due to go live at the end of 2023, but now that date has been pushed back to 2024.
Under the Brexit withdrawal agreement, the UK government negotiated for British citizens to be subject to the Etias rules, having helped design it while part of the bloc.
Every visitor entering the designated countries will have to have their fingerprints and facial biometrics checked on arrival and departure.
Travellers will need to scan their passports or other travel documents at an automated self-service kiosk prior to crossing the border.
Preparations include the installation of passport-reading machines at external points of the Schengen Area that will replace manual passport stamping.
