Holiday spend hotspots revealed by Destinology study

The top 10 UK postcodes for holiday spend have been revealed in a study by luxury operator Destinology.

Unsurprisingly, wealthy Belgravia in London is the highest-spending postcode in Britain (£3,345 per person on each holiday).

Bishops Waltham at £2,650 and Sevenoaks at £2,626 followed Belgravia.

Fulham and Parsons Green in London was the postcode where people spend the most on holidays in total, with residents booking a total of £914,042 worth of holidays with the operator in the last two years.

Southport & Ainsdale was the only entry for the north of England, coming in at number seven with an average spend per head of £2,309.

Total spend per booking reflected strong family areas of the UK and showed holiday spending is still a key expense that families are willing to commit to.

Sevenoaks leads the table at an average £8,572 per booking, beating Belgravia into second place and Harpenden into third.

The top-selling destination was Dubai, followed by the Maldives, Mauritius, St Lucia and Barbados. Crete and Cyprus were the only short-haul destinations to make the top 10, in the study which examined £100 million spent on holidays over a two-year period between 2012 and 2013.

Company chief executive Dominic Speakman said: “In this research we’ve studied booking patterns of the last £100 million spent with Destinology over the past two years.

“We knew London and its surrounds were important but the dominance of family areas as the key contributor to luxury holiday sales was surprising.

“Over the last few years, everyone has had to economise, but these stats show a family holiday remains on the essential list for many areas of the UK.

“Londoners, typically with the most disposable income and perhaps most looking for a contrast to busy city living, seek relaxation and an escape from their everyday lives, with the most total spend.”

He added: “Dubai has been a top selling destination for us since we started 10 years ago, and continues to draw repeat visits through its excellent hotels, new openings and ease of access to guaranteed sun from airports across the UK.

“The rise in luxury five star resorts in Crete and Cyprus has enabled early bookers to afford a luxury holiday they may otherwise have considered out of reach.”

Top ten postcodes – spend per person:

1. Belgravia (SW1X) £3,345
   
2. Bishops Waltham (SO32) £2,650
   
3. Sevenoaks (TN15) £2,626
   
4. Westminster (WC2H) £2,538
   
5. Barnet (EN4) £2,474
   
6. Haslemere (GU27) £2,349
   
7. Southport & Ainsdale (PR8) £2,309
   
8. Bath (BA1) £2,291
   
9. Hornchurch (RM11) £2,270
   
10. Chelsea (SW3) £2,247

Top ten postcodes – spend per booking:

1. Sevenoaks (TN15) £8,572
   
2. Belgravia (SW1X) £7,462
   
3. Harpenden (AL5) £6,905
   
4. Caterham (CR3) £6,714
   
5. Stockton Heath (WA4) £6,707
   
6. Hornchurch (RM11) £6,452
   
7. Haslemere (GU27) £6,526
   
8. Southport & Ainsdale (PR8) £6,498
   
9. Barnet (EN4) £6,470
   
10. Jersey (JE3) £6,223

Top ten postcodes – total holiday spend over last two years

1. Fulham/Parsons Grn (SW6) £914,042
   
2. Wandsworth (SW18) £694,793
   
3. Battersea (SW11) £670,801
   
4. Hampstead (NW3) £665,883
   
5. Wimbledon (SW19) £594,784
   
6. Putney (SW15) £570,172
   
7. Canary Wharf (E14) £553,791
   
8. Harpenden (AL5) £497,143
   
9. Hornchurch (RM11) £479,017
   
10. Jersey (JE3) £454,266

Top destinations by revenue sold through Destinology, 2012-13:

1. Dubai
   
2. Maldives
   
3. Mauritius
   
4. St Lucia
   
5. Barbados
   
6. Crete
   
7. Mexico
   
8. Cyprus
   
9. Antigua
   
10. Tenerife