Online travel agent Loveholidays has announced a major increase in passenger numbers as Brits flock to surprising new hotspots, such as Poland's Baltic coast. Olivia Palamountain reports

Loveholidays has announced it will take more than five million UK passengers on holiday in 2025, representing a significant increase of one million travellers compared to 2024 figures.

The announcement comes as part of the company's annual update to its Air Travel Organisers' License (ATOL), which provides financial protection for British holidaymakers booking package holidays that include flights.

According to data from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the online travel agent has already sold £814 million worth of holidays in the first three months of its current financial year.

To mark this milestone, Loveholidays has revealed the top five emerging destinations that are seeing substantial growth in bookings for 2025:

1. The Nile, Egypt - Experiencing the most dramatic surge with a 2,061 per cent increase in bookings compared to 2024. The iconic river offers travellers access to world-famous attractions including the Pyramids, the Sphinx and Tutankhamun's burial ground.
2. The Baltic Coast, Poland - Bookings have risen by 1,153 per cent year-on-year for this region, which combines natural beauty with rich history and remains relatively uncrowded compared to more established European destinations.
3. Central Albania - With a 667 per cent increase in bookings, this mountainous region featuring the colourful capital city of Tirana is attracting art and culture enthusiasts.
4. Northern Albania - Bookings are up 529 per cent for this coastal area, with Durres highlighted as a particular gem offering beautiful beaches, local cuisine and the largest Roman amphitheatre in the Balkans.
5. Costa de Azahar, Spain - This Mediterranean coastal region north of Valencia has seen bookings rise by 480 per cent, appealing to travellers seeking a more relaxed alternative to Spain's busier beach destinations.

Donat Rétif, CEO at Loveholidays, says: "We are incredibly proud of our growth, which shows that our proposition is resonating with UK consumers more than ever. The flexibility of our business model as an online travel agent - combined with our continued investment in our market-leading technology, product and customer experience - has fuelled our growth and demonstrates the power of Loveholidays in shaping the future of the package holiday market."

Founded in 2012, Loveholidays offers customers access to more than 40,000 hotels and flights from 89 airlines departing from 28 UK airports. The company has recently expanded into European markets, launching in Germany in 2023 and Austria in 2024 under the name weloveholidays, with further expansion planned for 2025.

The company was voted Nation's Favourite: Most Loved Holiday Company at the 2023 Travolution Awards and Ireland's Leading Online Travel Agency at the World Travel Awards for three consecutive years (2022-2024).