Still think London is a market?

Florida has traditionally been a favorite with travelers from the UK. Over the last couple of years though, this has been changing as British travelers have been putting places like Dubai, Turkey and Poland on their must-see lists.

Because Florida has a large British population, people are still traveling from the UK to the state but many are staying with their Floridian friends or relatives – not in hotel rooms. And their friends are likely to take them to’best kept secrets’ rather than tourist destinations.

A major UK travel agency has just released its latest figures about where Londoners are going for beach holidays during the British winter.

The Balearic Islands and the Canaries, always popular with the UK tourists, have seen a spike in British tourists in the last three years, making Tenerife and Palma the top destinations.

Several years ago, these destinations were seen as being pretty downmarket but they have reinvented themselves with boutique hotels, plentiful restaurants and adventure sports. They have the advantage of being a short flight away, so tourists can leave the UK in the morning and be on the beach by the afternoon.

Cancun in Mexico is in third place.

The next most popular destination was Egypt. Fares are relatively inexpensive – starting at about £100 and the flight time is four hours.