London, germany top markets for holiday rental

According to data from HomeAway.co.uk, in 2010 Dubai's holiday rentals market showed definite signs of recovery, with an increase of 5% in booking enquiries for the year following large decreases in 2008 and 2009. The emirate was among the top ten most enquired about cities in the second half of the year and owners listing on the site also reported huge increase in business.

Germany, a new favourite for ski?

According to the Q4 2010 report from the European Travel Commission, Germany was one of the best performing markets in 2010 and this trend is mirrored on HomeAway.co.uk. The country's economic stability is increasing its popularity with residential investors and buyers are now focussing on Germany's stable rental potential.

Interest from travellers is also strong. The country climbed from the 12th most popular in the second half of 2009 to the 9th most popular in 2010 on HomeAway.co.uk. What's more, Germany appears to be a new favourite among ski enthusiasts too. The mountain resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria ranked sixth out of the top ten most popular ski destinations, coming in above Samoens, Tignes and Meribel in France, and Haute Nendaz in Switzerland.

London calling - the Olympic effect

With the 2012 London Olympics set to attract millions of visitors to the capital, savvy travellers are starting to book well in advance. On HomeAway.co.uk enquiries started to pick up towards the end of 2010 and there was a huge year-on-year growth in enquiries for the Olympics dates as at the end of January 2011 compared to January 2010 (+3,804%).

Tim Boughton, UK General Manager, HomeAway.co.uk said: "The switch from hotels to holiday rentals has been steadily increasing, with particularly high spikes in demand around major sporting events. For the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, many visitors sought out holiday rental properties as an alternative to a hotel, which meant the average weekly income generated per property soared by almost 150 per cent. However, even at this increased rate, holiday rentals still often work out far cheaper than similar standard hotels, making them a highly attractive option for tourists."

Source: HomeAway.co.uk