Travel column with Katie Butler of Total Travel: Holiday hotspots: Dubai makes a comeback and a Romanian spa escape
If you are already dreaming of next summer's holiday, you are certainly not alone. New booking figures from Jet2 have given us an interesting glimpse into where holidaymakers are planning to jet off to in summer 2027.
Spain continues to dominate, taking six of the ten most-booked resorts. Benidorm has claimed the number one spot, Costa Adeje in Tenerife comes in second, followed by Turkish favourite Alanya in third place. Paphos in Cyprus takes fourth, with Marmaris in fifth. The rest of the top ten includes Playa de las Americas, Protaras, Salou, Palma Nova in Mallorca and Benalmadena.
Beyond the usual suspects Jet2 is reporting increased interest in several Greek destinations, including Kefalonia, Kos, Halkidiki, Corfu and Crete. Turkey is also enjoying a surge in popularity, with Didim, Icmeler and Kusadasi among the resorts attracting more bookings.
There is also some encouraging news coming from Dubai which I am delighted to hear. Following a rocky start to the year for the UAE, visitor numbers are recovering, with seven million international arrivals recorded between January and the end of August. British visitors are playing their part too, with almost half a million more UK arrivals during the first eight months of the year. Emirates has returned to full capacity, while British Airways has restarted its daily direct flights from London.
Closer to home, we have had a couple of our Ossett ladies heading off on the ultimate relaxer. Rachel and Ali recently enjoyed a two-night break in Bucharest, Romania at Therme Bucharest, one of Europe's largest wellness and spa complexes, and somewhere that's been trending all over social media. They crammed in a little sightseeing with a lot of pampering.
After flying from Leeds Bradford with Wizz Air, they were pleasantly surprised by how cheap getting around was. Their airport transfer cost just over £3 and the journey to their hotel took around five minutes. The trip was all about Therme, where they spent a whopping 12 hours enjoying the facilities. Think outdoor pools, swim-up cocktails, saunas, massage treatments, infrared therapy and even water slides.
The food and drink prices were another pleasant surprise, with cocktails around £4 and meals starting at approximately £6. They even enjoyed a Thai restaurant meal with cocktails for around £15 each. Their final morning was spent exploring Bucharest's Old Town, visiting its famous bookshop, local church, colourful umbrella street and a few recommended coffee spots.
Top tips: Download the Bolt app for getting around, take a little cash and don't worry if you forget your flip-flops or dressing gown, as these can be hired at the spa.
It was exceptionally busy last week, at a time when we usually start to quieten down in the run up to Christmas. (Damn, I promised myself I would not mention that this week.) December was our biggest booking month, followed by November and May with late bookings accounting for 27 per cent of new sales. Our three most popular destinations by passenger numbers were Tenerife, cruises departing from Southampton, and Benidorm.