NORTH Wales has become the most popular place in the UK for cottage holidays, according to a new survey.

The region is currently more popular than Cornwall and Devon for people seeking cottage getaways, Sykes Cottages said in its annual Staycation Index.

North Wales was followed by Cumbria and South West England in the survey, which is based on the popular cottage rental company's internal bookings data from January 2014 to June 2021,

In Wales, Anglesey and Llandudno ranked the first and second most popular holiday destinations respectively.

The survey found half of the most popular locations for 2021 are by the seaside, while the other half are popular walking destinations.

Meanwhile about 33 per cent of people said they would spend more money on their holidays after the pandemic, and an average total of £940.

Graham Donoghue, CEO of Sykes Holiday Cottages, said that as UK staycation tourism has surged due to travel restrictions, there has been "a significant uplift" in holiday listings from second home owners over the last year.

"The entire travel industry has undergone tremendous changes and disruptions over the past year, but the UK staycation market has fought back, with the appetite for holidays at home now stronger than ever," he said.

"As people eagerly await an escape from lockdown, opting for staycations is not only the safest option, but our research shows that the Great British staycation is fast becoming the holiday of choice regardless of restrictions."

Sam Rowlands, MS for North Wales, who was recently appointed chair of a Cross Party Group on Tourism said: “This is great news for the area and I am delighted to see my region come out on top in a UK wide survey.

“Tourism in North Wales employs around 40,000 people and contributes around £3.5 billion a year to the local economy and has been hit hard by the Covid pandemic.

“It was only this time last year when there were real challenges, with almost all businesses from the tourism and hospitality sector having to close for a prolonged period of time and around 80% of staff being furloughed.

“With a lot of people enjoying staycations this year it is good to see North Wales is such a popular destination.”