SKYSCANNER has revealed the destinations set to be big next year with the top spot going to an Italian coastal resort.
Coming out on top was Salerno, often seen as a more affordable alternative to the Amalfi Coast.
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The Italian city has seen a 211 per cent increase in searches, according to the research conducted by Skyscanner.
It comes after the new Salerno Airport opened last year, which welcomed a number of UK flights from the UK.
But what is it like to visit? The Sun’s Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski explained how easy it is to do on a budget.
She said: “At 8pm, a queue forms outside Mamma Rosa, a small, inconspicuous restaurant that is worth it for the cheap wine, fresh octopus ragu pasta, fried anchovies with fennel and traditional Amalfi lemon desserts.”
“And Passa Duomo sells terrific cocktails, from colourful blue Mai Tais to marshmallow White Russians in the coolest street setting.”
Coming in second in the Skyscanner study was Koro in Palau, followed by Kochi in Japan.
But closer to home, Bilbao in Spain came in fourth with an increase in 97 per cent.
Travel writer Lee Bell recently visited, and said: “Bilbao is the Spanish city that is fastest to reach from the UK, with flights taking just 1hr 45mins from Bristol so its no surprise it is becoming more popular.
“The world-famous Guggenheim art museum is the city’s main attraction with popular works by artists such as Richard Serra, Robert Rauschenberg and Yayoi Kusama.
“And you can’t visit without indulging in pintxos — the Basque version of tapas. These elaborate snacks are served on small skewers and can be found on the counters at most bars.”
Other trending destinations for 2026 include Rabat in Morocco, as well as Akureyri in Iceland and Rijeka in Croatia.
It’s not just trending destinations that Skyscanner has revealed, as they have also looked at the destinations where flight prices have dropped the most.
Flights have dropped by as much as 44 per cent compared to last year.
Perhaps surprisingly, the German city of Cologne has seen the cost of flights drop the most, when looking at the first six months of 2025 compared to 2024.
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Skyscanner’s top trending destinations
- Salerno +211%
- Koror, Palau +156%
- Kochi, Japan +106%
- Bilbao, Spain +97%
- Rabat, Morocco +87%
- Akureyri, Iceland +83%
- Rijeka, Croatia +75%
- Kaunas, Lithuania +59%
- St John’s, Canada +58%
- St George’s, Grenada +56%
Travel writer Janice recently wrote for The Sun: “Cologne is super-walkable, and though famous for its Christmas markets, there’s tons more to discover.
“Make sure tov visit Farina Fragrance Museum to learn about the first first modern perfume ‘Cologne’ with both Oscar Wilde and Princess Diana were fans of the light, fresh scent.
“Or, pamper yourself in the 12 pools, eight saunas and three steam baths of famed German spa Claudius Therme.”
If you want some affordable winter sun, Goa in India came in second with a 34 per cent drop in the price of flights.
The Indian beach resort is easier to get to as well, thanks to new e-visa rules this month that lets Brits apply 72 hours before their flight.
If you’re yet to visit the Portuguese island of Madeira, flights are 26 per cent cheaper compared to last year, while Spain‘s Santiago de Compostela are 25 per cent cheaper.
Flights to Tbilisi in Georgia have dropped by 21 per cent – with both British Airways and easyJet launching new flights there earlier this year.
Here are the holiday destinations that the Sun Travel team think will be big next year.
Skyscanner’s 2026 Best value destinations
- Cologne, Germany –44%
- Goa, India –34%
- Kaunas, Lithuania –31%
- Bergen, Norway –27%
- Madeira, Portugal –26%
- Santiago de Compostela, Spain –25%
- Tbilisi, Georgia –21%
- Ottawa, Canada –20%
- Murcia, Spain –20%
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia –20%
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