Brits are planning to flock to Spain like never before following their World Cup success.
Holiday bookings are set to go through the roof as they look to bask in the country’s football glory and enjoy piles of paella and sangria. Experts say seeing Rodri and co lift the trophy last weekend has put the country “firmly” in fans’ minds and remind them of its beaches, food and heat.
Travel search engine Kayak said flight searches from the UK to Spain have risen by more than a third (36%) following the World Cup. The summer hotspot is the number one country UK football supporters are most tempted to visit after watching the tournament, research by Heathrow Express found.
A third say it has made them want to travel abroad, according to its survey. More than a quarter of fans say star players like Lamine Yamal influence which nations they support as a second team. And 45% who have a second team would consider heading there if that country reached the final.
Aoife Considine, business lead at Heathrow Express, said: “Major international football tournaments have a real influence on where people want to travel, with 30% of UK fans saying football has inspired them to consider a trip abroad.
“Spain emerged as the number one country fans would most like to visit after watching teams compete. The team’s success on the pitch firmly put the country front of mind and reminded audiences of everything it offers beyond football, from its beaches and vibrant cities to its food, culture and warm climate.
“That sustained exposure builds an emotional connection with a destination and turns sporting interest into genuine holiday inspiration.”
Andrew Harrison Chinn, from the travel and lifestyle firm DragonPass, said: “Sport has a rare ability to turn a destination into a community that people suddenly want to join.
“The images emerging from Spain after the World Cup victory, packed streets and shared celebrations, will have travelled far beyond football audiences. Those scenes offer something no conventional tourism campaign can manufacture: a vivid sense of belonging.
“This emotional afterglow can absolutely influence bookings, and a major sporting triumph gives Spain a renewed cultural magnetism, making people curious about the places behind the celebrations they have watched unfold online.”
He added: “These moments can lodge a destination firmly in the imagination. Its real value lies in making a well-known country feel newly alive, and worth returning to with fresh eyes.”
Searches for flights to Barcelona jumped 33-fold within hours of the final, according to Chinese travel platform Qunar. Richard Young, founder of the firm selfcatering.co.uk, said: “Interest in Spain was already heading for a record year.
“A World Cup win is rocket fuel on top of that. Nearly two million people at the Madrid homecoming parade put Spanish sunshine on every screen in the world.
“That kind of exposure converts into bookings, and we would expect Spanish coastal and city stays to feel the bounce well into the autumn.”
Meanwhile, Brits are also looking to learn Spanish following the team’s success. Language-learning app Preply said it saw UK searches for Spanish lessons surge by more than 160% over the final weekend.