Europe’s leading travel search platform HolidayPirates (www.holidaypirates.com), has analysed their data to find the best locations to visit with the most sun, for the least money.
Get a lot but only put in a little!
Mallorca
When to visit: May or late September - early October
When to book: Less than 1 month before departure
Mallorca is a tourism hot-spot all year round with 2.23 million Brits visiting in 2016, which accounted for around 26% of the total tourist traffic. The majority of these tourists visit during the school summer holiday period, however, if you want to take advantage of the Price:Sun ratio study, HolidayPirates recommend visiting either at the end of May, or the end of September to the beginning of October. It goes without saying that the prices of flights, hotels and sometimes even cultural activities are cheaper during this period.
Sharm el Sheikh
When to visit: April - May
When to book: Book less than 1 month before departure
Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt is becoming more and more popular season after season. The resort town located between the desert of the Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea is renowned for its picturesque sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and some of the worlds best coral reef diving. A great time to visit is May Day bank holiday weekend, as it offers the possibility to save an extra day of annual leave from work. These dates also coincide perfectly with the best time of year to visit according to HolidayPirates’s Price:Sun ratio, with averages of 31°C. At this time of year the weather is much more bearable than in the more expensive summer months.
Caribbean
When to visit: May - June or November
When to book: November (as this is ‘low season’, airlines have more seats thus great offers)
The Caribbean took in over 25 million tourists last year, representing almost 15% of the regions GDP. HolidayPirates’s error fares specialists recommend taking a risk when it comes to the Caribbean islands. Bargain hunters should be prepared to grab a last minute bargain in November and not be too picky about which island. if you are not lucky enough to find a last-minute November deal, this month is still be the best time of year to book for the period of May - June (perhaps you could even be lucky enough to grab one of those bank holiday bonus days).
Greek Islands
When to visit: Late May - early July or late September
When to book: 10-12 months in advance for Mykonos or Santorini. Other locations, less than one month before departure
The Greek islands have always been a popular tourist destination, but to get the most worthwhile deals HolidayPirates recommend visiting in late May to early July, or late September. To secure the best September deals, you should book as early as possible. If you are looking to travel in the period of May to July, booking in advance is only necessary for the popular Santorini and Mykonos.
Thailand
When to visit: East Coast: May - June. Other locations: November - December
When to book: 6 months in advance
The final location to make it into the top 5 of HolidayPirates’s Price:Sun analysis is Thailand. The country has been preparing for their moment of fame, with up-to-date infrastructure and airports now capable of handling the huge amounts of worshippers of sun, beach and full-moon parties who visit every year. Tourism now accounts for approximately 18% of Thailand’s GDP, this figure is double that of the world average of 9%. HolidayPirates’s Price:Sun study revealed that the best time to visit would be November to December, or if you are visiting the East Coast (Koh Samui), then May to June. Cheap flights are available six months in advance (and sometimes even more than that). Last minute bargains in this case are very hard to come by and with the planning and preparation necessary for such a trip it is suggested that you book ahead!
HolidayPirates (www.holidaypirates.com) is one of Europe’s fastest growing, free-to-use, travel search platforms and apps, providing users with the best value for money international travel deals. Since its inception in 2012, the company has grown the biggest online travel community in the world, achieved 30 million monthly page visits, 10 million app downloads, having launched services across 10 countries and 7 different languages.
