Four in 10 Brits (39%) reckon they could get more for their money on New Year's Eve celebrations this year – by ditching the UK and heading abroad, a study has found.
Research has found that those who celebrate the occasion by going on a night out close to home end up spending an average of £174 on the festivities – from dinner and drinks, to a new outfit, and transport.
But 39% admit that they find the idea of spending the evening in a UK pub to ring in the New Year boring – with 28% much preferring the thought of enjoying an experience that's totally different to the UK.
When it comes to where they would most like to celebrate, the study, of 2,000 adults, named New York as their top destination – followed by Sydney, Rome, and Las Vegas. Meanwhile, other far-flung destinations like Hawaii, Tokyo, and Dubai also made the top 10 list.
And a third of those polled said they have previously ditched a traditional new year's celebration, to jet off to another country instead.
Some of the top driving factors for this included to broaden their cultural horizons (14%) – and simply needing some time away from family after the busy festive period (8%).
And almost two-thirds (64%) of those who have done so, said that going abroad was the “perfect” stress-free start to their new year.
It also emerged that there has been a surge in booking for new year travel – as Skyscanner data revealed bookings were up 71% in November, compared to October, for return travel leaving between Christmas Day and December 31.
A spokeswoman for Skyscanner, which commissioned the research, said: “Many of us are now looking for ways to see in 2024 abroad, instead of at home.
“Whether it’s creating memories with loved ones, visiting family, or simply getting the perfect snap for the ‘gram, New Year’s Eve trips are becoming more and more popular. With the whole world at our fingertips nowadays, with a bit of planning you could spend this new year somewhere incredible.”
The research also found that, of those who’d like to go abroad for December 31, 17% would enjoy seeing the celebrations of a different culture – while 9% would jet somewhere warm to enjoy the temperature.
Meanwhile, 28% consider planning a New Year’s Eve celebration at home to be either fairly, or very, stressful, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
Skyscanner’s spokeswoman, Laura Lindsay, added: “Many of us like to start the year “as we mean to go on” – and what better way than to celebrate New Year's Eve somewhere beautiful, fun, or relaxing, with our loved ones?
“Exploring different customs, tasting unique cuisines, and dancing to the rhythm of a new city, is a fantastic way to enjoy the hours as the clock counts down to midnight.
“There's something enchanting about spending New Year in a place that's unfamiliar, yet welcoming. Whether it's the sparkle of city lights or the tranquillity of nature, being abroad adds an extra layer of magic to the moment.”
TOP 10 PLACES BRITS WOULD LIKE TO SPEND NEW YEAR’S EVE:
- New York, USA
- Sydney, Australia
- Rome, Italy
- Las Vegas, USA
- Paris, France
- Tokyo, Japan
- Hawaii, USA
- Venice, Italy
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- Dubai, UAE
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