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New research suggests that British travellers are forgoing their beloved summer hotspots like Greece and Spain in favour of more far-flung destinations like Thailand

According to new research, some key non-European destinations have enticed Brits away from their typical hotspots this summer.

While Italy, Spain and Greece continue to deal with the repercussions of over-tourism, British travellers are casting their holiday sight further abroad. Virgin Media O2 data suggests that visitors to Spain have dropped by about 9% year-on-year, with anti-tourism protests potentially giving British holidaymakers pause.

Visits to Greece and Portugal are also down by 7% and 5% respectively, the data suggests. Destinations like Thailand, Canada and the US are on British travel radars this year.

READ MORE: I take my family of four on holidays abroad for less than the cost of a UK staycationREAD MORE: ‘Thailand of Europe’ with turquoise water is slice of paradise just a few hours away

Visits to France were even eclipsed by those of the US this summer, which brought in 17% of British travellers compared to France’s 14%. Canada now accounts for 9% of trips from the UK and the United Arab Emirates has enjoyed 8% of the British tourist allocation.

Thailand and Australia both earned 5% of visitors, which may have to do with The White Lotus effect. In fact, the TV series drove so much tourism to Thailand that it threatened to bury one of the paradise islands.

The exceptionally hot weather in the UK this summer could have also influenced why Brits didn’t feel the need to storm their sunny EU holiday destinations.

When it comes to last-minute getaways however, the data shows that convenience is still a top priority for British holidaymakers. Resorts that are a short-haul flight away still saw the biggest influx of travellers. Almost 38% of Brits will take late breaks to Spain while Greece will see 25% and Italy 23%.

Christian Hindennach, chief commercial officer at Virgin Media O2 said of the latest research: “As Brits explore new holiday spots beyond Europe, we’re proud to keep them connected wherever they may roam.

He continues: “From last-minute trips to far-flung adventures, we’re committed to keeping our customers connected without the worry of hidden fees, so they can focus on enjoying their time away.”

That said, months of active overtourism demonstrations across Spain in particular has been bad news for tourism revenue in some parts of the country.

A once busy Spanish city is now “dead” as Brits have reportedly abandoned the destination for other holiday spots.. Footage has surfaced online showing the area’s completely deserted streets.

Laura, who goes by lauratravelvlogs on TikTok, has been chronicling some stark changes in Barcelona this year, having resided there herself for over two years. She noted a significant drop in visitor numbers and, for months, she’s been posting videos of Spain’s vacant streets, silent roads and empty beaches to illustrate the drastic shift in the country’s tourism landscape.

In a recent video featuring eerily quiet roads, Laura questioned: “Sorry, no one can argue that these roads leading up to the beach were not packed in 2023?”

As many as 16 million households are in danger of Freeview being taken off the air as the Labour government appeared unsure about securing its future

Millions of households across the country could lose a major television service as MPs warned of a potential blackout. Currently, 16 million Brits use Freeview and the network is seen as a lifeline for those who cannot afford subscription-based TV services.

However, its future has been thrown into doubt as the Government did not appear to commit to securing its future beyond 2034, when the digital terrestrial TV (DTT) licence is due to be renewed. There are fears ministers could scrap Freeview or make it available only via the internet, not standard TV aerials.

Stephanie Peacock, the media and culture minister, acknowledged the spiralling cost of running Freeview to public service broadcasters (PSBs) and households, while claiming fewer people are actually using it. She said the Government will work alongside broadcasters and other organisations.

She said: “We also know this is not an easy decision. The choices ahead are complex and must be guided by evidence, and that is why we are taking the time to get them right, drawing on data, research and the views of people across the sector and across the country.”

Freeview was launched on October 30, 2002 following the catastrophic collapse of ITV Digital almost two weeks earlier. The joint venture between the BBC and Arqiva (formerly Crown Castle) is home to the UK’s beloved networks such as BBC One and ITV1, as well as other digital channels like BBC Three, ITV2 and E4.

Since its inception, it has proven a worthy rival to the likes of Sky Digital and Virgin Media TV, but it faced greater challenges in recent years thanks to streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+. Such topics took centre stage in a heated debate at the House of Commons last week when MPs made an impassioned plea to save Freeview.

Parliamentarians also took issue with the lack of commitment from the Government to renew the DTT licence. Conservative MP David Mundell said: “Freeview is a universal service reaching 98.5 per cent of the UK population, including those in remote and rural areas.

“It is available at no additional cost over and above the licence fee. This is a crucial point: people do not need to pay any additional monthly bills to watch terrestrial TV; all they need is a TV set and an aerial.

“The options for watching TV have broadened in the last few years, with the arrival of TV streaming over the internet. Many of us enjoy those services, but the fact is that to do so, someone needs a high-speed fixed broadband subscription of sufficient speed and reliability, and not everyone has that.”

He added: “Millions of people are relying exclusively on mobile for access to the internet. Indeed, data from Citizens Advice suggested that, in 2022 alone, up to 1 million people cancelled their broadband subscription because of the high cost of living reports.

“Despite being a widely used and, in my view, essential service, it [Freeview] is currently under threat of being switched off within a decade. The licences that support terrestrial TV expire in 2034, and the Government have so far not provided a long-term commitment. Yet there is no need to consider switching off terrestrial TV in the mid-2030s, be that for political, technological or financial reasons.”

Labour’s Richard Quigley claimed that Freeview has helped many elderly viewers combat loneliness and warned axing it would add to the cost of living crisis blighting the country, reports Plymouth Live.

He said: “Three quarters of people say that terrestrial TV has helped to reduce loneliness, and among those aged 65 and over the figure rises to 87%. Additionally, I worry that any decision to switch off terrestrial TV could further exacerbate the cost of living crisis and deepen existing inequalities in our communities.”

In response, Ms Peacock said: “The way we watch TV is changing rapidly. Over the past decade, we have seen significant shifts in how content is delivered and consumed. Increasing numbers of viewers are moving to internet-based platforms, both for on demand content and, increasingly, for live programming.

“DTT is guaranteed until at least 2034. Before making any decisions, we will carefully consider the challenges for public service broadcasters and, importantly, the impact on loyal daily viewers, especially those who rely on digital terrestrial services.

“The cost of DTT to the PSBs is substantial. As fewer people rely on DTT, the cost per house is going up and will continue to do so. I am aware from my visits and meetings with providers that as part of the network reaches the end of life, investment would be needed to carry on even the current services.”

The Mirror has contacted Freeview for comment.

Stranger Things season five is slowly but surely edging closer and TV writer Jake Hackney has found a way to secure a Netflix and Sky TV subscription for 50p per day ahead of its launch.

It’s been a big week for Netflix as the streamer finally dropped the first trailer for Stranger Things season five. On Wednesday, exactly nine years and one day after the sci-fi series first aired, Netflix gave fans their first-look at its final chapter.

The footage shows Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and the gang returning for ‘one last adventure’, each united by a single goal: to find and kill Vecna. Season five is set to premiere in three parts, with volume one (episodes one to four) on November 27, followed by volume two (episodes five to seven) on Boxing Day, and the finale on New Year’s Day.

It feels like an age since season four, so I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s felt their interest waning in the interim. However, after seeing the new trailer this week I’m happy to say Netflix has well and truly pulled me back in.

READ MORE: Stranger Things fans can get Netflix free for two years as season 5 trailer drops

READ MORE: LEGO’s back to school range includes £15 desk drawer and brick lunch bags

It’s fair to say the hype around the new season is building, and it’s sure to keep going throughout the rest of the year. With that, many fans are likely scrambling for different ways to find a cheap Netflix subscription.

Earlier this year, the streamer raised its subscription fees yet again, with its entry-level Standard with Ads tier now costing £5.99 per month. However, as a TV and tech writer, it’s my job to find ways to watch all the latest series while keeping costs down, and I know how to get Netflix and Sky TV for 50p per day.

Get Netflix free with Sky

from £15

Sky

Get the deal here

Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.

This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.

The deal comes directly from Sky, which includes a free Netflix subscription with TV packages like the Essential TV bundle. For £15 per month, this provides free Netflix access, more than 100 channels including Sky Atlantic and a Discovery+ subscription. When breaking it down, this works out at 50p per day over a 30-day period.

The bundle comes on a 24-month term, meaning those signing up can secure a Netflix subscription for two years. It typically comes with Netflix Standard with Adverts, which usually costs £5.99 when joining direct, meaning members essentially pay £9.01 for 100 TV channels and Discovery+.

There is the option to upgrade to Netflix Standard or Premium for those who prefer ad-free viewing, priced at an extra £6 or £11 respectively. Sky also lets those with an existing subscription keep the same account, so they don’t pay twice.

Sky isn’t the only provider to tempt customers with free Netflix access, as Virgin Media also includes a free subscription with its own TV packages. However, although they include much more, they also come with a higher price tag.

The cheapest package that comes with Netflix is the £64.99 Biggest Combo bundle; usually priced at £78.99, this also comes with more than 200 TV channels, Sky Sports, Sky Cinema and 516Mbps fibre broadband. However, one downside to both Sky and Virgin’s plans is that they both increase their prices every April in an inflation-linked rise.

This means the price paid is likely to go up twice in the next 24 months. Sky is yet to confirm how much its prices will go up in April 2026, but this year it introduced a 6.2% rise, so we may see something similar next year.

Virgin has already set out its planned changes, with the £64.99 plan rising to £68.49 from April 2026. Despite this, both Sky and Virgin customers can enjoy every season of Stranger Things, as well as Squid Game, Bridgerton and much, much more.