Holiday hotspots shift: Brits ditch Spain and France for affordable luxury in Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco
The travel trend of 2025… it’s package holidays!
HELLO travellers, how are you doing? We’ve been at the Business Travel Show Europe 2025 in London hearing how AI is transforming the industry. It’s helping holidaymakers search for better deals and even hotels are using it to know which cocktail you want by the pool. But, we also learned that the perfect holiday is like Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. This is the No 1 karaoke song of all time. But it’s too long, has no chorus and changes tempo halfway through. It breaks the popular four-chord rule that makes Taylor Swift songs so catchy. And this was the warning about AI. What it does is make everything the same for everyone. It spots the patterns of the majority. AI wouldn’t pick Bohemian Rhapsody as a great song but humans do. And until AI can do that it can’t offer a magical, personalised journey instead it sends everyone to the same places fuelling overtourism. We hope we can combat that with July’s travel headlines. Welcome to your fact-packed, must-read, monthly travel round-up…
Going places!
Overnight: We wrote about Cannes banning giant ships to curb overtourism for the Daily Mail. From January 2026, the city will limit ships carrying more than 1,000 passengers from docking at its port. The decision follows similar actions in Venice, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Nice, as European cities push back against mass tourism.
Where’s heating up? Dubai (see pic above - that’s the Museum of the Future)! We are just back from the billionaire’s playground. We always thought we couldn’t afford it. How wrong we were. We stayed in a five-star hotel at three-star prices and we joined a tour of the souks for £6.65. The catch? It was 40C. But don’t worry about the heat, there’s air-con everywhere. Shhh, don’t tell anyone. The secret to know right now is that Dubai is not expensive. Who’da thunk it? The most extravagant thing we bought was Dubai chocolate. (Spoiler: Tastes like a KitKat!)
Another hot tip for summer: As we head towards peak holiday season, trips to Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco are booming as Brits seek to save a few quid on high-end hotels at cheaper prices. According to agents and operators travellers are swapping France, Spain and Italy for northern Africa with Cirium data showing flights from the UK to the region doubling since 2019. Booking.com recorded a 68 per cent increase in searches for Tunisia this year, compared to 2024 with Egypt and Morocco seeing rises of 64 per cent and 39 percent. Tui’s Chris Logan said these three destinations offered “fantastic value for money”, with traditional European destinations finding it “hard to compete”. Nicki Tempest-Mitchell, at Barrhead Travel, added: “The investment in high-quality hotels and experiences across these regions is turning the heads of customers who may previously have favoured mainland Europe. Although favourites such as Spain and Turkey are still our top-selling destinations, it’s safe to say north Africa is a region to watch over the next few years.” It’s in The Sun.
Big departure: Led by Gen Z, travel has gone from being a luxury to a necessity. And despite being a cash-strapped generation they always find the money to splurge on a holiday. It’s the hero’s journey. You work your 9-5 to earn your two weeks in the sun. To make it work they opt for the package holiday, over a DIY trip. According to Barclays’ 10 Years of Spend report, a quarter of holidaymakers (26 per cent) are booking packages, rising to 38 per cent for Gen Z, as it offers value for money and protections. TTG has more.
Where are they going: While many turn to social media for travel inspo, holidaymakers still book the old favourites. Spain and France remain the most popular destinations, followed by the US and Italy. But Turkey has risen up the list from eighth place in 2019 to fifth.
For the stats: Holiday spending has risen year on year since the end of the pandemic with 49 per cent of Brits saying they value a trip more than they did 10 years ago. And a third are splashing out more than they did a decade ago. Rich Robinson (great name!) at Barclays said: “The typical holiday has undergone a remarkable transformation since the start of the pandemic. While the DIY holiday once reigned supreme, we’re now seeing a resurgence in the popularity of package holidays and travel agents, particularly among younger travellers. This shift reflects a growing desire for value, convenience, and stress-free planning.”
It's crowded in here! ... says everyone in Italy. And like in Spain it's causing tension. With a country so beautiful that millions want to visit every year, the Italian tourism board has a strategy to move tourists away from Venice and Rome and Naples ... to the rest of the country. It’s launched a campaign called 99% of Italy to tackle overtourism. They say 99 per cent of tourists visit 1 per cent of Italy so they want to flip that and send more tourists to 99 per cent of places. Chalkmarks highly recommends heading to the heel in Puglia - Italy's best kept secret.
What’s in Puglia: Over the years, Chalkmarks has spent lots of time in Italy with trips to the Aeolian Islands, Emilia-Romagna, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany, Umbria and Venice. But we didn’t expect to see what we found in Puglia, on the southeastern tip. It has fewer visitors compared to the west coast with its call of Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius, Herculaneum, Naples, or the bank-busting Amalfi Coast and Capri but Puglia too has all the goodies and could easily win in the battle for the hottest Insta-backdrop. We stayed in Bari, the capital of the region, but we also travelled around – to Polignano a Mare, famous for its cliff diving, the Unesco village of Alberobello, Monopoli, Gallipoli, Lecce, and Santa Maria di Leuca, right down on the heel where you can take a boat trip and swim in two magnificent seas: the Adriatic and the Ionian. See our pix of the trip.
Also tackling tourism: They’ll be no more free wee nights in Glasgow from 2027 after the city decided to charge a 5 per cent tourist tax to help it raise £16 million. On average that will mean £4.83 for each night’s sleep. Glasgow follows Edinburgh, which introduced a similar charge earlier this year. The BBC has more.
Enter Saudi Arabia: The Michelin Guide has Saudi Arabia in its sights with its first selection of restaurants expected at the end of year. Expect to get listings for Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, AlUla. What can food lovers expect? Kabsa in a Najd setting (traditional meat and rice), Mubahar rice, honey glazed sambosas and masabeeb (pancakes). More here.
Talking of eating: On the home front, Cornwall has been crowned the UK’s top foodie staycation spot, with St Ives, Padstow and Falmouth claiming the top three places on the wish list according to Sykes Holiday Cottages. And more than half want fish and chips when on hols. Nearly one in five say food defines their trip, and one in 10 have rebooked a destination just to revisit a favourite restaurant.
Bring holidays home: Visits to English attractions rose just 1.4 per cent in 2024, still 27 per cent below pre-pandemic levels, according to VisitEngland’s annual survey. The small increase was driven by international tourists, up 6 per cent, while domestic visits fell 1 per cent. London saw the biggest gains, with visitor numbers up 5 per cent, led by attractions such as the Tower of London and the British Museum. Farms, heritage centres, and places of worship saw the highest growth. VisitEngland urged people to support local attractions this summer. Here’s the report.
Off limits: New rules in Norway are banning cruise ships which must stay at least 500 metres away from polar bears. It may mean cruise lines not using close-up images of the animals in brochures. The industry is being urged to highlight Svalbard’s rich history, landscapes and other wildlife instead of relying solely on polar bear appeal.
Your travel guide to Iceland: When we think of Iceland, we think ice. We think cold and freezing. But here in July it’s green. It’s 17C. It’s summer! Plus they have the midnight sun – that’s 24hr daylight. We need our sunglasses on all day long. We travelled to the northern city of Akureyri – situated on the waterfront with the white peaks of the Eyjafjörður fjord in the background. This place is a gem. It’s filled with unique volcanic landscape where Nasa astronauts train, there are natural thermal spas where the water is 40C, there’s waterfalls, lava fields, puffins and a Eurovision museum. In the winter it becomes the best spot for skiing and seeing the Northern Lights. And all this before you have done anything interesting, like super Jeeping. If you’re very lucky (we weren’t) you’ll see humpback whales. But there’s more. Best of all it’s just three hours from the UK. Did I mention there’s Icelandic fish and chips? Check out our pix of the trip.
10 out of 10: The Tower of London is everyone’s favourite tourist attraction in the capital, according to a Travelodge poll. Covent Garden and Buckingham Palace came second and third, with the Natural History Museum, British Museum and V&A in the top 20. Camden and Borough markets also made the list as did Battersea Power Station and the Sky Garden. Travelodge said it was “no surprise” London‘s historic icons topped the list. Time Out has the full list.
Once more unto the beach: Protesters in Barcelona targeted tourists with chants, water pistols and flares, saying mass tourism was driving up rents and pushing locals out. Crowds marched past landmarks like the Sagrada Familia, waving signs that read “Your Airbnb used to be my home”. Residents blame holiday rentals, expats, and cruise ships for making the city unaffordable. In response, Barcelona will ban short-term tourist rentals from 2028. But property owners argue they’re scapegoats and say banning tourism risks damaging Spain’s economy. The BBC has more.
Summer in the city: Brixton, Shoreditch, Leyton, and the West End will get more open-air dining this summer, funded by the Mayor of London’s Sadiq Khan summer streets initiative. Brixton will add 80 tables and 400 outdoor seats, with car-free weekends. Shoreditch will offer outdoor dining until midnight. Mayor Khan aims to help pubs and clubs stay open longer and boost the hospitality sector.
Time out: The Louvre, the world’s most-visited museum, shut its doors last month after staff staged a spontaneous strike over mass tourism, overcrowding and “untenable” working conditions. Thousands of visitors were left stranded by the famous pyramid, as gallery staff refused to take their posts. It comes just months after president Emmanuel Macron announced a 10-year, €800 million/ £685 million renovation – but striking workers say they can’t wait that long. “It’s not just about the art -it’s about the people protecting it,” said gallery attendant Sarah Sefian. France 24 has more.
Hotels are to blame! Airbnb urges EU cities to tackle overtourism by addressing the dominance of hotels, which accounted for nearly 80 per cent of guest nights in 2023 and 2024. In its new report, the company claims hotels drive the bulk of tourism growth in the EU’s top ten cities, with five times more hotel stays than Airbnb. It warns hotel expansion is surging while housing construction falls. Airbnb says its model spreads tourism more evenly, with most stays outside city centres. It adds that where Airbnb is restricted, overtourism worsens, hotel prices rise, and fewer benefits reach local communities. Leaders are urged to rethink hotel reliance. The FT has more.
On the bright side: Airfares and holiday prices are expected to fall following big bill rises in April. Economists think the inflation rate dropped to 3.3 per cent last month, down from 3.5 per cent in April. The drop reflects falling prices for flights, trains, coaches, and package holidays following the Easter surge, according to Deutsche Bank.
Do you go to the pub? Pubs are closing at an alarming rate as drinking habits shift, but we’re determined to save the great British boozer. Open City tours of historic London pubs, led by Sheldon K Goodman, take us from Blackfriar’s Victorian charm to Westminster’s lively streets, echoing stories of Charles Dickens and Oscar Wilde. These venues, where alehouses transformed into inns, hold centuries of history, from Sir Christopher Wren’s workforce tokens to Charing Cross’s split Ship and Shovell. Follow us on our rescue mission to keep pubs alive. Hic!
Missing out: Cancer patients are finding it hard to go on holiday due to the high travel insurance prices they get quoted. Maggie’s cancer charity says they are either “priced out” or refused, leaving many choosing to travel uninsured or worse stay at home. The charity is calling for fairer deals. A spokesperson for the Association of British Insurers explained that “unfortunately, people with pre-existing medical conditions may be more likely to need emergency medical treatment whilst abroad, which can come at a significant cost.” The Evening Standard has more.
Internet sensation: A 200-year-old condom is on display at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. It’s R-rated tourism like this that museums need to go viral these days. If you’re seduced, you’d better make hay while the sun shines as it’ll be only around until November. Then, who knows where it’ll end up? Here it is on AFP.
Shout out: Ryanair has declared war on disruptive passengers by fining them £500 if they are removed from a flight. In a bid to deter bad behaviour, the airline said the penalty was just the minimum. A spokesperson said it was “unacceptable” for passengers to face delays due to the actions of “a tiny number” of unruly individuals. It has also urged for limits on alcohol sales at airports. The BBC has more.
At breakfast: If your hotel croissant seems smaller, you’re right, it is. Hilton hotels has shrunk our fave pastries to 28g to cut food waste. Nearly 200 hotels are now using AI-powered smart bins, which track what’s thrown away using cameras and scales. The system identified pastries, bread, and fruit scraps were the top culprits. Plates are also now smaller, fruit is cut more precisely, and salads are dressed only at service.
Your tour guide to Egypt: We’re riding through the Sinai desert on a quad bike. It’s like a scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. There is the huge blue sky, the sun beating down and a dry wind with rough rocky hills and high mountains ahead. Far in the distance we can just make out the oasis that is Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea coast. A traditional cotton headdress covers much of our faces to protect us from the swirling sand. We feel like we’re on an epic journey. It’s a bouncy and bumpy ride but it’s worth it when we meet Bedouins – their camels a stark contrast to our shiny red quad bikes. Since ancient times, this group of nomadic people have lived outdoors in this harsh open desert. We felt privileged to be following in their footsteps – a group of people that might not be around come the next century. We stop for tea, and spend the afternoon talking about their way of life and herding camels.
Rocketing up: The Sicilian landscape burst out of the ground last month surprising tourists on a day out to Mount Etna. The heart-stopping moment saw magma and ash fill the sky as the volcano unexpectedly erupted. Believing they were in trouble, tourists ran for their lives… while also filming the black smoke hurtling behind them. Tbh, we’d do the same. Sky News has the footage. Everyone got home safe. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and the biggest region in Italy. It’s home to many of Europe’s volcanoes – Etna being the biggest (see pic below), Vulcano the stinkiest and Stromboli one of the most active on earth.
Going global: India, the world’s most populous nation, has announced big tourism plans to build 2,000 new planes and more than 200 airports in just over two decades. Speaking at the International Air Transport Association in New Delhi, prime minister Narendra Modi said he wants to see 350 airports by 2047 to turn India into a global aviation hub. He said: “We are working on a futuristic roadmap to maximise India’s potential. In 2014, the country had 74 operational airports, which have now expanded to 162 and will increase to 350 by 2047. We are now the third largest aviation market globally.” The Times of India has more.
Holding pattern: Heathrow is calling for “an honest conversation” about its much-longed for third runway after recording its busiest May ever after more than 7.2 million passengers used the airport – up 0.4 per cent on last year. A spokesperson said the growing numbers highlighted the challenges of operating a space-constrained hub. The BBC has more.
Welcome to the Algarve: British holidaymakers can use the e-gates at Faro in southern Portugal following a deal struck by Sir Keir Starmer with EU leaders to ease post-Brexit travel barriers. Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said it an “historic deal” that slashes red tape and makes holidays smoother. The PM’s spokesman said: “It’s obviously good news.” Obviously! But will other European airports follow? LBC has more.
Don’t panic: Airports are mastering the art of not losing our luggage thanks to technology. Last year 33.4 million bags were mishandled, down from 33.8 in 2023. Mishandled means bags were delayed rather than being totally lost with most passengers reunited with their suitcases within 48 hours. Data firm Sita said the use of AI, real-time tracking and self-service systems was reducing errors. LBC has more.
Weighing in: Passengers flying on EU airlines could soon be allowed to take a carry-on bag for free in new rules proposed by the European Parliament. A smaller personal item will also be permitted under the seat. The move aims to standardise baggage rules between the EU and UK. Some airlines warn it could push up ticket prices. It’s in The Sun. Delays to this new rule are inevitable.
You’re going where? Hairdressers could become key travel influencers in the battle to tackle climate change. A study from Oxford University calls for “eco-stylists” to ask their clients about their carbon footprint in a bid to be more sustainable. After a pilot scheme, where stickers with green tips were placed on salon mirrors, 73 per cent of customers pledged to change their habits.
Big pants: When visitors step into Arts Centre Melbourne they will find the iconic gold hot pants Kylie Minogue wore in the video Spinning Around. Celebrating the song’s 25th anniversary, the shorts which cost 50p in a flea market in 2000, now sit alongside a collection of her other classic looks including the white jumpsuit from Can’t Get You Out of My Head.
Taking the pee: Blenheim Palace has brought history alive by replacing its stolen £4.75 million golden loo with a £10 spray-painted replica. The original was ripped out and stolen by a gang using sledgehammers and was never recovered. A spokesman said the aim was to raise a smile after global interest in the theft. And taking a pic with it won’t even cost a penny. Priceless!
Departing from platform 2030: Eurostar plans to launch direct trains from London to Frankfurt and Geneva by the early 2030s, calling it a “new golden age of international sustainable travel”. With 50 new trains costing £1.7 billion, journeys would take around five hours. Travel expert Simon Calder has more.
Full steam ahead: The most famous steam train in the world, the Flying Scotsman, will appear at the Greatest Gathering, the world’s largest display of historic and modern trains, at Alstom’s Derby factory from the 1st August. The Flying Scotsman is famous for the first non-stop London to Edinburgh service in 1928 and hitting 100mph in 1934. The BBC has more.
Doin’ me hed in! With the long-awaited Oasis reunion kicking off next Friday, a translation guide has been produced to help fans arriving from around the world understand the Manc accents of brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher. GetYourGuide has written the Manctionary, which includes phrases such as “mad fer it” and “you’ve got a cob on”. To celebrate the gigs, GetYourGuide is offering 15 per cent off Manchester experiences until 4 July with code OASIS15.
Not happy campers: More overnight parking for campervans and motorhomes is needed in the UK due to rising demand for road trips amid post-Brexit 90-day travel restrictions, says lobby group Campra. It says better provision would boost tourism and support local businesses, with users spending £51 a day. The Independent has more.
Wear sunscreen: Aldi’s £2.99 Lacura and Lidl’s £3.79 Cien sprays passed Which? safety tests with flying colours. But £28 Ultrasun and Morrisons’ £2.99 spray failed to meet SPF or UVA standards. The consumer champion said expensive doesn’t mean better and urged shoppers to check protection, not price.
Transport yourself: The Hyundai Tucson has been named the best car for family holidays, according to a CarGurus survey. Reliability, fuel efficiency and boot space topped the list of must-haves. Other top picks included the Suzuki S-Cross, Toyota RAV4 and Skoda Kodiaq.
Break from tradition!
In case you don’t follow us on social media you really should. Here we are, here too and over here. Say hola muchacha on Bluesky!
