Manchester Airport releases list of its 10 fastest-growing holiday hotspots – including ‘Maldives of Europe’

Holiday season is well underway, and now Manchester Airport has released a list of its 10 fastest-growing beach destinations.

Want to visit somewhere new? Destinations in Portugal, Greece, and Croatia are among the 10 fastest-growing summer holiday hotspots on Manchester Airport’s route network.

Following the completion of the £1.3bn Terminal 2 transformation, and a major project to redevelop Terminal 3 also now in the works, the airport is expecting a record summer season this year, which is why, with a couple of weeks left, a list of the top 10 fastest-growing destinations has been revealed, so if you’re short of some travel inspiration, this is it.

Sunseekers’ favourites are all expected to see extra visitors from Manchester this summer, but other lesser-known destinations are seeing an even greater surge in popularity – with the number of people travelling there this summer versus last summer set to double (or even triple) in some cases.

These destinations are spread across the Mediterranean, and all offer a rich blend of sun, sea, sand, history, culture, and foodie delights.

As you’d expect, there are a number of Spanish spots on the list, including the emerging Canary Islands favourite of La Palma, Jerez de la Frontera near the historic city of Cadiz, and the popular Valencia.

Elsewhere, you’ll also find the major cities of Marseille in France, Porto in Portugal, and Verona in Italy on the list, but if you’re keen to visit somewhere a little more off the beaten track, why not try and trip to Zadar in Croatia or Preveza in Greece, which both appear to be growing in popularity.

One of the real stand-out gems on the list though has to be what is dubbed the ‘Maldives of Europe’.

Albania’s capital Tirana is not only a great candidate for a city break, but it’s also the starting point for intrepid explorers seeking out the stunning beaches on the Albanian Riviera – which have become famous on social media over the past couple of years, and have drawn comparisons to the bucket list destination of the Maldives.

“Sometimes, a destination will go viral on social media or see a spike in demand as adventurous travellers discover it,” explained Stephen Turner, who is the Chief Commercial Officer at Manchester Airport. “And we then see that translate into airlines adding extra flights or flying larger aircraft to those destinations to meet that demand.

Read more:

• Manchester Airport launches seven new ‘exciting’ routes across the world in 2026
• Package holiday company launches new flights from Manchester to European ‘hidden gem’
• Thanks to Terminal 2’s major upgrade, holidays really do now start at Manchester Airport

“We keep our finger on the pulse to analyse these trends and we work with our airline partners to ensure that if a particular destination is in vogue, or emerging as a new favourite, you can get there from Manchester.”

See the full list of stunning destinations and get booking your next trip here.

Featured Image – Nick Karvounis (via Unsplash)