Winter Sun Spots & Southern Asia See Strong Demand in Q1, Reports HomeAway.co.uk

LONDON, May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The Canaries, Dubai, Goa, the Maldives & Sri Lanka are popular with holidaymakers, while 1 in 3 owners dream of relocating to their place in the sun

Recent figures released by HomeAway.co.uk, the UK's number one holiday rentals website, show strong demand for winter sun holidays in the first quarter of 2012. Based on the number of booking enquiries placed on the website for holidays in the first three months of the year, perennial favourite the Canaries topped the charts, followed closely by Dubai and another Spanish favourite, Barcelona.

Southern Asia also emerged as a favourite holiday destination in 2012. Goa, India jumped in to the top ten most popular destinations for holidays in the first three months of the year, while the Maldives and Sri Lanka registered strong year on year growth on HomeAway.co.uk. Based on the growth in booking enquiries placed on the holiday rentals website during January through March compared to the same period last year, the Maldives ranked third, followed by Sri Lanka in the tenth position.

Andy Cockburn, UK regional director for HomeAway.co.uk, commented: "Brits definitely looked to escape the ongoing winter chill in the first few months of this year, despite the ongoing tough economic climate, and it seems increasing numbers of holidaymakers are now opting for exotic, further flung locations too. Both the Maldives and Sri Lanka registered significant growth in tourist demand in the first quarter of 2012, as did Goa. These are emerging markets for holiday rentals and we anticipate seeing supply here steadily increase too."

Back at home, the dismal British weather continues to play a major role in people's desire to relocate, so it's no wonder more holidaymakers are flocking to exotic climes. According to results from a recent survey conducted by HomeAway.co.uk among its clients, one in three British holiday homeowners would like to relocate to their holiday home abroad. The top reasons for wanting to do so are: better weather, better quality and more relaxing pace of life, as well as the desire to retire there one day. A lower cost of living and the possibility to enjoy a more active lifestyle were two other popular incentives.

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About HomeAway UK

HomeAway UK operates the two market-leading websites HomeAway.co.uk (http://www.HomeAway.co.uk) and Owners Direct (http://www.OwnersDirect.co.uk), founded respectively in 1996 and 1997. HomeAway.co.uk is the UK's number one holiday rentals website, listing over 300,000 self-catering properties worldwide. HomeAway.co.uk offers independent guest reviews and OwnersDirect.co.uk offers owner profiles for increased peace of mind.

About HomeAway, Inc.

HomeAway is the world leader of the online holiday rentals market, representing over 640,000 property listings across more than 160 countries.  The company has contributed significantly to the popularity of the holiday rentals industry, making it easier than ever for both owners to advertise and profit from their second homes and for millions of holidaymakers to find the perfect holiday rental.  HomeAway operates sites in 11 European countries and the market-leading sites in the USA and Brazil.