UK holidaymakers have been left cold by their country’s 2013 summer heatwave, with almost two-thirds saying it won’t make them more likely to holiday at home next year.

The latest research from World Travel Market shows 63 per cent of the 1,001 holidaymakers polled – all of whom went on a holiday of seven nights or more in 2013 – say the hot weather the UK basked in this summer will not see them holiday on these shores in 2014.

That is potentially good news for Malta’s tourism industry, as Britain is still the island’s biggest market for incoming tourists. However, it is not all bad news for the UK domestic holiday market, as three out of 10 holidaymakers said the good weather meant they were more likely to holiday at home next year.

Furthermore, the holidaymakers were asked to list where they holidayed in 2013 – with the UK being top of the list, followed by Spain and France.

The holidaymakers’ survey echoed the findings of another WTM poll, which asked 1,277 senior travel industry executives who were attending World Travel Market last week about their holidays and found that London and the UK were the most-visited short-break destinations.

The success of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games resulted in 52 per cent of respondents increasing capacity for London and 48 per cent for the UK.

Reed Travel Exhibitions senior director, World Travel Market, Simon Press said: “After several soggy summers, our domestic travel trade was undoubtedly boosted by this summer’s heatwave.

“World Travel Market’s findings show UK holidaymakers are not ignoring the tourism hotspots in the UK by appearing to have two summer holidays – one overseas and one at home.”

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