by Sarah Forster
-15 December 2025
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Festive Travel Search Trends: The Top Cities Getting Into the Christmas Spirit This Year
New search data reveals Manchester & Newcastle as the most Christmas-obsessed city in the UK, while Leicester and Nottingham are the country’s ‘Grinch Cities’, exposing stark regional divides in festive spirit.
Just Travel Cover analysed recent search data from Google relating to Christmas travel, looking at the top 15 UK cities to see how interest in festive travel differs across locations.
We analysed local search volumes for over 250 search terms related to travel over the festive period, dividing searches by population to help identify the cities in the UK that show the most interest.
Christmas Cheer-Chasers (and Evaders)
Our research revealed Manchester as the undisputed “Christmas Capital” of the UK for festive travel, with 3,150 searches per 100k people – more than double that of the UK as a whole (1,496). Top searches included ‘boxing day holidays’ (1,147), ‘lapland’ (1,147), ‘xmas markets germany’ (340), and ‘best christmas markets europe’ (187), indicating a strong interest in travel during the festive season.
Destinations like Lapland are popular with families for getting into the festive spirit, while Christmas markets offer the chance to shop for handmade, unique gifts and indulge in seasonal favourites like mulled wine and hot chocolate.
Conversely, Leicester and Nottingham were revealed as the UK’s “Grinch Cities”, showing the least interest in festive travel with 770 and 884 searches per 100k people.
Sunderland also appear to be the biggest “Homebirds” with just 105 searches per capita – well below their neighbours in Newcastle with over eight times more search interest, indicating a preference for spending Christmas at home.
The North-South Divide in Festivity
Looking at regional discrepancies within search data, a clear North-South divide emerged in levels of festivity. Of the top five “Most Festive” cities (Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol, Leeds, and Edinburgh), four are in the North of England and Scotland, while Southern cities like London, Cardiff, and Southampton trail behind. Whether due to busier airports or the price of travel increasing, cities in the South of England show a clear preference for staying closer to home.
Location Spotlight: A Closer Look At Lapland
Looking specifically at travel to Lapland, Manchester, Bristol, and Newcastle top our data for interest. There are over 1,900 travel to Lapland-related searches per 100k people in Manchester, and 1,300 in Bristol – both well above the UK national average of 727. Lapland offers the perfect destination for travellers looking to make the most of the festive season, renowned for its natural winter wonderland and seasonal activities. From meeting Santa in Rovaniemi’s Santa Claus Village, to husky and reindeer sleigh rides, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and enjoying festive dinners, Lapland is the place to be for soaking up the Christmas spirit.
Dale Robinson, Director at Just Travel Cover, commented:
“This research highlights just how differently people across the UK approach Christmas travel, with some cities actively planning festive getaways while others prefer to stay closer to home. What’s clear is that destinations like Lapland and European Christmas markets continue to capture the imagination, particularly for families and those looking to make the most of the festive season. We also know that many travellers head abroad in search of winter sun, especially older holidaymakers keen to escape the colder weather.
It’s important that travellers consider the practicalities. Winter illnesses can disrupt travel plans, and accidents can happen anywhere. Travel Insurance is essential to ensure a magical Christmas break doesn’t turn into a costly one. And if you’re heading somewhere like Lapland or planning seasonal activities such as snowmobiling or sleigh rides, just make sure your policy includes the right cover, which may mean adding a Winter Sports extension or an upgraded Activity Pack.”
Travel Insurance for your next trip
No matter where your next holiday takes you, Just Travel Cover have you covered. With no age limit on our policies which cover hundreds of pre-existing medical conditions including heart conditions, diabetes and cancer we can have you protected in just a few simple steps.
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