The US, shut to Europeans for much of this year, is the number one bucket list destination for holiday planners across Britain, France, Germany and Italy for 2022. New consumer insight from travel deals platform HolidayPirates also reveals how long-haul destinations dominate consumers’ wish lists with the tropical beaches and clear waters of the Maldives and Thailand tantalising sun-starved Brits and Germans, with the only short-haul destination – Italy – appearing in Germany’s top three.

Traditionally a British favourite, Australia, comes in as Briton’s third most wished for 2022 destination, but with strict restrictions still in place, forward planning remains difficult for travel to the far-flung Commonwealth country.

With different COVID-19 restrictions across the world, the HolidayPirates data also found that 37% of Brits went without any type of holiday at all this year as opposed to less than a fifth in other markets. In comparison, 85% of French respondents took a domestic, international or both types of holiday this year.

Italians were most likely to go on holiday on home turf, with 53% claiming to have taken a domestic holiday this year.

Phil Salcedo, Head of Market for UK & North America at HolidayPirates, said: “Long-haul destinations have simply been off the cards this year. Brits, in particular, have had a tougher time than most when it came to planning a sunny getaway. When we’ve been so confined for so long, It’s no surprise that we are desperate to get to destinations with radically different culture, climate and landscape.

“The diversity and culturally iconic status of the USA seemed a world away from our lives in  our living rooms and over the past two years, and  many of us have taken the virtual journeys from Carrie Bradshaw’s New York to the raw nature of Badlands National Park in Nomadland and the Californian desert resort of Palm Springs. Now we want to see it for ourselves.”

Jackie Ennis, VP of Global Markets for Brand USA said: “It’s great to see that the USA remains the number one bucket list destination across the U.K, France, Germany and Italy. From our gateway cities to the great outdoors, we are immensely proud of the array of diverse experiences travellers can enjoy across the country. With U.S. borders now reopened to international tourists, we are looking forward to welcoming our friends from all over the world in 2022.”