30 Nov 2018
Nearly half (44%) of Brits vote to spend Christmas abroad
Iceland is the number one destination for festive flights for the second year in a row
T'is the season for a jolly: New Exclusive North Iceland Arctic Experience
A major new travel trend has emerged, with Brit's avoiding being caught home alone this Christmas by planning their own 'Advent-ure' trip of a lifetime abroad.
Forget driving home for the holidays, those in the know are catching festive flights to incredible destinations across Europe, according to new insights compiled by Super Break.
More than 2,000 members of the public took part in a YouGov poll in September, of which 1,996 respondents celebrate Christmas*. Nearly half (44 per cent) confirmed they would most like to spend Christmas Day overseas this year, with Icelandtopping the charts as the destination of choice. Finland, Germany and Sweden were the next most popular overseas spots from a selected list in which to celebrate the season.
Iceland was the most booked destination for Christmas in 2017 Super Break has revealed alongside the research, cementing the 'Land of Fire and Ice' as being the UK's number one hotspot for a Christmas holiday for the second year in a row.
What's more, bookings for this year's festive short breaks began in May, a month earlier than in 2017, with demand high throughout October as the peak sales period. To satisfy this demand and help holidaymakers see more of the country, Super Break has expanded its offering of Icelandic seasonal breaks for 2018 to include an Exclusive North Iceland Arctic Experience break in Akureyri.
2018 Christmas Countdown: The Overseas Destinations Brits Would Most Like to Celebrate In
- Iceland
- Finland
- Germany
- Sweden
- Ireland
- Denmark
- Czech Republic
- Belgium
In addition to celebrating Christmas day in style in Iceland, more than half (52 per cent) of Brits would also like to welcome new Nordic traditions in to their festive routines; nearly a fifth (19 per cent) would like to wait until 23rd December to decorate the Christmas tree, 14 per cent would like to dine on smoked lamb for their main Christmas day meal and more than a quarter (29%) would like to celebrate New Year with a bonfire.
Chris Hagan, Head of Product at Super Break commented: “Iceland is a magical country with stunning scenery to explore and incredible experiences on offer for an unforgettable trip. It's not hard to see why it has retained the title of number one destination for Christmas abroad for the second year running.”
The expanded Iceland programme including Akureyri in the North has been designed to help 'Advent-ure' travelers venture off-the-beaten-track. Exclusive three or four night Arctic trips are set to depart from 18 regional airports across the UK**, with the 2018 flight programme set to take-off from 10th December. Special festive departures on Chrsitmas Eve and New Year's Eve have also been tailor made to create a once-in-a-lifetime celebration for visitors.
For more information and to book, simply visit the Super Break website or call 0800 042 0288.
Exclusive North Iceland Arctic Experience – Christmas Eve – from £499 per person
Indulge in the magic of Christmas with a Northern Lights escorted evening excursion, plus a host of experiences on offer such as a visit to Lake Myvatn, Godafoss Waterfall, the boiling mud pools of Namafjall and a stop at Vogafjos working farm. Festive breaks include four nights' accommodation in a choice of well-placed hotels and return flights and transfers.
PRICE: From £499 per person including four-nights' accommodation at the Hotel Kea by Keahotels, Lake Myvatn Adventure – Land of Fire and Ice full day escorted excursion, Search for the Northern Lights escorted evening excursion, return airport transfers and return flights from Manchester Airport. Departs on 24th December 2018.
Exclusive North Iceland Arctic Experience – New Year's Eve – From £1040 per person
Includes four nights' accommodation in a choice of hotels, plus experiences to many of the region's top attractions such as Lake Myvatn, Goddafoss Waterfall, the boiling mud pools of Namafjall and a stop at Vogafjos working farm. Also included in the break is an excursion to see the Northern Lights, making your Icelandic escape even more memorable. To make this break extra special, enjoy the Icelandic festivities with a New Year's Eve dinner, a New Year's Eve party cruise, fireworks and much more.
PRICE: From £1040 per person including four-nights' accommodation at the Saeluhus Akureyri Apartments & Houses, Lake Myvatn Adventure – Land of Fire and Ice full day escorted excursion, Search for the Northern Lights escorted evening excursion, three course Gala New Year's Eve dinner, return transfers to Akureyri Bonfire & Fireworks Display with drinks reception, New Year's Eve fireworks from a cruise on the fjord at midnight, return airport transfers and return flights from Leeds Bradford Airport departing 31st December 2018.
ENDS
*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2062 adults, of which 1996 celebrate Christmas. Fieldwork was undertaken between 4th - 5th September 2018. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
**Full list of UK Airports: Bournemouth, Birmingham, Cardiff, City of Derry, Durham Tees Valley, East Midlands, Exeter, Humberside, Inverness, Isle of Man, Jersey, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, London Southend, Manchester, Newcastle, Newquay and Norwich.
For more information and images, please contact Ben, Kate, Emily or Gemma on 0113 243 1117 or email SuperBreak@lucre.co.uk.
Notes to Editors
With more than five million people visiting SuperBreak.com each year, millions of couples, single travellers, families and friends rely on Super Break to book their short break. With over 30 years of travel experience Super Break can find you the perfect UK experience, with inspiration and advice for an unforgettable short break. Home to a huge choice of added value extras, Super Break offers the ultimate in flexibility for your personalised trip including (destination + hotel + travel + tours and experiences).
Super Break has a reputation for providing excellent quality, great value and customer service. Both ATOL and ABTA bonded for peace of mind, Super Break is a reliable brand trusted by customers. For more information, please visit www.superbreak.com / 0800 042 0288.
