DOG ownership has soared during lockdown, and new insight from the world’s largest holiday rentals search engine, HomeToGo, shows just how dedicated to their canine companions Brits have become. Holidaymakers looking for accommodation using the “pets allowed” filter have accounted for almost half of all searches on the HomeToGo website in 2021 so far.
And with the hospitality and tourism sectors in Wales opening up, finding a dog-friendly destination is more important than ever.
In North Wales, Llangollen, Rhosneigr, Dolgellau, Betws-y-Coed, Beaumaris and Harlech have been identified as being hotspots for dog-friendly holiday cottages.
Britain’s dog population rose by a reported two million during the pandemic1, and with the peak holiday season fast approaching, many new owners are now in the process of planning their first ever holiday with a pet. For such individuals, the RSPCA offered some sage advice: “ensure your accommodation and the places you wish to visit during your stay are dog-friendly”2.
Insight from the holiday rentals search engine suggests that new dog owners are doing just that: almost half (46%) of all searches on HomeToGo.co.uk so far this year have used the "pets allowed" filter. This is a huge uplift in comparison to 2019, when just over a quarter (28%) of searches selected this option.
This increase moves the Brits up a massive nine places on the leaderboard of nations most devoted to their dogs when it comes to holiday accommodation, from 12th place in 2019 to 3rd in 2021, now behind only Australia and Italy and ahead of the USA and Germany.
To help new owners find the ideal accommodation for trips with their dogs, HomeToGo is revealing the destinations with the highest percentage of pet-friendly holiday cottages.
Revealed: the top destinations for dog-friendly holiday cottages in Wales:
1. Rhayader
2. Laugharne
3. Rhosneigr
4. Llanbedrog
5. Llangollen
6. Dolgellau
7. Harlech
8. Betws-y-Coed
9. Saundersfoot
10. Beaumaris
For dog-friendly staycation inspiration, visit hometogo.co.uk/united-kingdom/dog-friendly-holidays
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