Yorkshire’s holidaymaker habits have been revealed in new survey by Leeds Bradford Airport

As we settle into summer and the holiday season begins, many Brits use this time to travel abroad and see new destinations. Where we choose to go for our travels can be widely influenced by varying factors, be it social media, friends or online reviews.Leeds Bradford Airport wanted to discover what the travel habits were for people living in the general Yorkshire area, so conducted a survey of 500 people to find out.

Paris is the most visited city by Yorkshire locals

France’s most romantic city was a firm favourite amongst those surveyed, as the data revealed Paris was the city people had visited most. Paris looks set to continue to be a top destination this year for holiday makers globally, as they are the host of the Summer Olympic Games for 2024.

The top destinations that those surveyed had visited were:

Destination

% of those surveyed who had visited

Paris

43%

Majorca

36%

Barcelona

31%

Tenerife

27%

Dublin

27%

The study found that many people surveyed were not particularly well-travelled. The research found that on average people have only been to 5 European countries in their lifetimes (5.4 average across all participants). Most people surveyed had visited 4 countries or fewer in their lifetime (57%). 38% of people have only visited 2 countries or less and just 16% had visited 10 or more European countries. It appears holiday makers are not taking advantage of the 80+ list of destinations that LBA has to offer.

Rome is the most sought-after destination people wish they’d visited

Steeped in history and full of ancient architecture to experience, it is no wonder Rome topped the list of dream destinations amongst those surveyed. A beautiful location to visit which offers something for everyone, Rome makes a great choice for those who look for great food and warm weather for their summer getaways.

The top dream destinations of those surveyed were:

Destination

% of those surveyed who had picked as their dream destination

Rome

43%

Paris

34%

Prague

34%

Out of destinations people had visited, their favourite destinations of all time were not what you’d typically expect. Bourgas, Bulgaria was locals' top destination that they had visited overall (66% voted it top). Rhodes, Greece came second place (60% voted) and Split, Croatia was third (55%).

Gen X/Baby Boomers are sun seekers, Gen Z/Younger Millennials want new experiences and families seek fun locations for their travel choices

The survey also looked at motivating factors for why different groups chose their destinations for holidays. The data showed a huge divide in what each group was looking for from their trips. Families prioritised fun places to go and activities, with 60% saying fun was the primary reason for their holiday. 18-34s (Gen Z/ younger Millennials) overwhelmingly said they want new places to visit as their main goal for travel (70% said this was the main reason for their holiday choices). Over 55s (Gen X/Baby Boomers) shared that they prioritise sunny destinations for their travel choices (75% said this was their top reason for destination choice).

The survey also asked participants what influences they seek for their holiday destination choices and data found 1 in 3 (33%) said they take travel recommendations from friends and family. 18-34s were most likely to choose a destination because friends had recommended it (44%), families were most influenced by online reviews (21%) and over 55s preferred to choose destinations because they had visited before (31%).

Yorkshire holiday makers are travelling further than needed for connecting airports

Interestingly, 48% of those surveyed stated they were not aware they could have flown from Leeds Bradford Airport for their chosen destination, meaning they may have made long journeys to airports further away unnecessarily. Leeds Bradford Airport flies to over 80 direct destinations, including all destinations mentioned in our study.

Nicola McMullen, Aviation Director, from Leeds Bradford Airport, commented on the survey findings:

“It is really insightful to see the generational differences in what those local to Leeds Bradford Airport are looking for from their holiday destinations. Interestingly, many locals were not aware they could fly from LBA to their chosen European city. We want to encourage holiday makers in the Yorkshire area to take a look at our 80+ direct destinations list, for their convenience and to ensure they are not making longer trips than needed to airports further away. LBA welcomes 4 million passengers a year, with expansion plans to service 7 million by 2030[2].

“Those who choose LBA can ensure a great start to their holidays with airport lounges, car parking and a range of food and drink choices to enjoy. With so many bucket list destinations to visit, the hardest choice is deciding where to visit first.”