Summer Journey Pattern Forecast: Where Brits are actually going this summer time

New knowledge from Airbnb reveals the most important journey shifts shaping how Brits will vacation this summer time — from a resurgence of staycations and rural retreats, to a short-haul-only strategy for these venturing additional afield.

UK Staycations are booming

Searches amongst UK visitors for home locations have elevated by over 11% year-on-year,¹ as travellers favour simpler, shorter and extra versatile breaks nearer to residence.

Within that, it’s rural and countryside locations which might be drawing essentially the most consideration. Searches are more and more targeted on areas inside or near British National Parks, pointing to a rising urge for food for slower, extra relaxed breaks. 

Top trending UK rural locations

The rise of ‘City-Fringe’ Summers

Metro-fringe locations are additionally rising in recognition — as travellers go for affordability on the outskirts of main cities, whereas nonetheless having the ability to entry summer time’s packed calendar of sporting, music and cultural occasions, earlier than escaping the bustle on the finish of the evening.

The short-haul summer time shift

For these nonetheless planning to journey overseas, British holidaymakers are favouring short-haul escapes. All of the highest 10 trending worldwide locations amongst UK visitors are inside Europe, whereas the common booked worldwide journey sits at simply 317 miles from residence — effectively beneath the European common journey distance of 419 miles.⁴

Emerging European locations on the rise: Travellers are more and more trying past conventional hotspots, with sturdy search development for locations in Croatia and Albania — together with the island paradise of Novalja (+273%) and Himarë (+92%), a coastal hidden gem alongside Albania’s Riviera.⁶

Where to remain:

Hiking and coastal locations topping European summer time bucket lists: Searches for Portimão (+173%), Cortina D’Ampezzo (+115%) and Estepona (+105%) are all rising sharply year-on-year, as Brits search journeys that put the good outside entrance and centre.⁷

Where to remain:

Airbnb’s Top Trending Destinations for Summer 2026

What’s new with Airbnb this summer time

Airbnb has introduced its 2026 Summer Release, bringing automobile leases, baggage storage, grocery supply, airport pickups, boutique resorts and extra to the platform — making it doable to plan a complete journey in a single place.

This summer time additionally marks the arrival of 1000’s of boutique and impartial resorts on Airbnb, together with The Portobello Hotel in London, Monsieur Aristide in Paris, and Hotel City – Palazzo Dei Cardinali in Italy.