Staycation boom: Brits’ top 10 Airbnb destination searches are in the UK and Saint Clears is No1

With doubts hanging over foreign holidays this year, Britons are currently staycation-obsessed – and it’s Saint Clears in Carmarthenshire, Wales, that’s the hotspot, according to Airbnb.

The home rental site has released data on 2021’s trending destinations – those that have seen the biggest year-on-year increase in searches among its users – and the top 10 ranking is made up entirely of places in the UK.

Airbnb says that the results show that rural areas across the UK are enjoying a revival. Following Saint Clears comes the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, with the harbour village of Clovelly in Devon occupying third place.

With doubts hanging over foreign holidays this year, Britons are currently staycation-obsessed – and it’s Saint Clears in Carmarthenshire, Wales, that’s the hotspot, according to Airbnb. This image shows the view to the town along the River Taf, its castle mound visible to the left

The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire has seen the second-biggest search surge year-on-year on Airbnb

The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire has seen the second-biggest search surge year-on-year on Airbnb

Behold the impossibly quaint fishing village of Clovelly in Devon, which comes third in Airbnb's ranking

Behold the impossibly quaint fishing village of Clovelly in Devon, which comes third in Airbnb’s ranking

BRITONS’ TOP 10 AIRBNB DESTINATION SEARCHES 

1. Saint Clears, Carmarthenshire

2. Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire

3. Clovelly, Devon

4. Bosham, West Sussex

5. Primrose Valley, Yorkshire

6. Mullion, Cornwall

7. Cawsand, Cornwall

8. Noss Mayo, Devon

9. Saunton, Devon

10. East Wittering, Sussex

Source: Airbnb, based on year-on-year search increases

 

The rest of the top 10 comprises Bosham, West Sussex (fourth); Primrose Valley, Yorkshire (fifth); Mullion, Cornwall (sixth); Cawsand, Cornwall (seventh); Noss Mayo, Devon (eighth); Saunton, Devon (ninth), and East Wittering, Sussex (10th).

So why are Airbnb’s users drawn to Saint Clears?

It could be that the market town’s idyllic rural location and hiking opportunities are proving to be strong bait for lockdown-weary Britons.

The historic town sits on the River Taf on a stretch of the Wales Coast Path that according to discovercarmarthenshire.com ‘takes you on a journey back in time, when Normans and Welsh fought bitterly to hold the strategic points around Carmarthen Bay, aiming to control passage up the rivers to the heartlands of Wales’.

It adds: ‘Beneath each stone is a story, within each community a tale.’

The site recommends a 12km- (7.4-mile) walk from the town to Llansteffan, along a path that threads through Pembrey Forest and the National Trust’s ‘peaceful farmland at Wharley Point’, with mouth-of-the-estuary views one of the cherries on the cake.

Amanda Cupples, General Manager Northern Europe at Airbnb, says: ‘As national lockdowns begin to ease, local hosts on Airbnb are ready to open their doors again to provide safe, clean and private stays for those looking to explore beyond their own four walls once more.

‘Our trending destinations show that travel this year is likely to be a little different, with many using a summer closer to home to explore lesser-known rural destinations in addition to the well-loved favourites.

‘With local communities needing support now more than ever, everyday Britons are doing their part, becoming hosts on Airbnb and turning their homes into economic empowerment engines to boost recovery.’

Prospective hosts in the UK can learn more about how much they could earn by sharing their space on Airbnb through the What’s My Place Worth tool. 

The interactive tool calculates the estimated income based on geography, type of listing, and uses prior local Airbnb booking data. For more information, visit Airbnb.com/host.

Airbnb said: ‘During last summer, hosts on Airbnb in the UK earned more than £225million, with the average host pocketing nearly £1,000.’ 

Fourth on the staycation hotspot list is Bosham, pictured, a picturesque village in West Sussex

Fourth on the staycation hotspot list is Bosham, pictured, a picturesque village in West Sussex

Taking fifth place in Airbnb's 2021 ranking of search hotspots is Primrose Valley in Yorkshire, which is home to this expansive coastal caravan park

Taking fifth place in Airbnb’s 2021 ranking of search hotspots is Primrose Valley in Yorkshire, which is home to this expansive coastal caravan park

Why Mullion in Cornwall makes the top 10 is summed up by this image of the village's stunning coastline

Why Mullion in Cornwall makes the top 10 is summed up by this image of the village’s stunning coastline

Cawsand village, pictured, in Cornwall takes seventh place on the Airbnb search hotspot table

Cawsand village, pictured, in Cornwall takes seventh place on the Airbnb search hotspot table

Pretty as a picture: Noss Mayo in Devon is eighth on the staycation-boom hotlist

Pretty as a picture: Noss Mayo in Devon is eighth on the staycation-boom hotlist

This stress-busting image shows the beach at Saunton in Devon, which is No.9 on the list

This stress-busting image shows the beach at Saunton in Devon, which is No.9 on the list

Rounding out the top 10 is East Wittering in West Sussex. Pictured is the local beach