The Benidorm Effect Boosts Holiday Searches for Spanish Resort

CHESTER, England, March 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The popular ITV comedy series Benidorm, which plays on the outdated stereotypes of those who go to the Spanish resort, has prompted a huge surge in interest in the destination. Figures released today by travel comparison website travelsupermarket.com show that searches to the destination have increased by a whopping 159 per cent* during the programme, which airs at 9pm on Friday nights. This is compared to searches for the destination at the same time on other nights of the week.

The idea of 'screenspiration' is by no means a new phenomenon -- previous travelsupermarket.com research** showed that one in five British travellers (17 per cent) have been inspired to go to a destination after seeing it in a film. Destinations such as New Zealand (Lord of the Rings Trilogy) and Australia (as featured in the Baz Luhrmann film of the same name) received significant tourism boosts after they received publicity through films.

Bob Atkinson, travel expert from travelsupermarket.com, said: "People love to be inspired by films, TV and celebrities for their holidays and it's great to see such a surge in interest to Benidorm. Those looking for a good value deal on a trip to the Spanish resort should shop around and use price comparison to make sure they get the best deal. It is worth comparing the price of booking separate flights and accommodation to the cost of a package holiday deal to see which offers the best value, especially with the huge number of low cost flights to Alicante and a wide range of accommodation types, from villas to 5 star hotels, self catering to all inclusive.

"Benidorm is enjoying a bit of a renaissance and represents great value at the moment; it's the perfect recession destination where you can have a good time without spending a fortune and this is clearly demonstrated on the show."

*Benidorm statistic sourced by travelsupermarket.com on 15 March 2011 and based on figures for bookings w/c 28 February 2011

**All other stats, unless otherwise stated, taken from research carried out on behalf of travelsupermarket.com by Opinium in February 2010 among 1,826 adults residing in the UK

About travelsupermarket.com

www.travelsupermarket.com is an online comparison service where customers can find the best value travel options for their needs and purchase over the internet. The website compares flights, car hire, hotels, cruise, package holidays plus dynamic packaging by searching hundreds of travel websites. The information supplied is unbiased and is designed to save the customer time and money.

The site thrives on offering its users accurate real time availability by taking information directly from suppliers such as Opodo, British Airways, Thomas Cook, First Choice, Radisson, Sol Melia, easyCar, Auto-Europe and many more, ensuring users are presented the best possible price at all times. It searches:

• Over 650 scheduled, low cost and charter airlines from 39 individual suppliers
• Over 200,000 individual hotels from over 42 individual hotel suppliers
• Over 200 individual car hire providers from over 21 suppliers
• 1,000s of individual package holidays from over 34 suppliers

Additionally, travelsupermarket.com also compares prices on travel insurance and on airport car parking.

travelsupermarket.com is part of the Moneysupermarket.com Group PLC.

www.moneysupermarket.com is a website where consumers can compare personal finance products, save money and apply online. The website has several service areas including personal loans, credit cards, mortgages, current accounts, savings accounts, motor insurance, home insurance, travel insurance, health insurance, mobile phones, broadband and shopping.

travelsupermarket.com won 'Best Meta Search/Price Comparison Website' and 'Online Travel Brand of the Year' at the Travolution Awards 2009.

SOURCE Travelsupermarket.com