Tripadvisor names Ilford Europe's fastest growing tourist destination

PA

It seems the effects of the Olympics on British tourism can already be seen, as Tripadvisor names Ilford top in its ten fastest growing destinations in Europe 2011 list.

The London suburb, which is located close to the main Olympics site in Stratford (pictured), is not usually associated with tourism.

In fact, British regions in particular have seen a significant soar in interest, laying claim to eight of the ten destinations in the list.

Other areas that don't usually spring to mind as holiday hotspots to make the list included Trafford in Greater Manchester, and Hounslow in west London.

Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor spokesperson, said: 'These destinations may not all be most obvious tourist hotspots, but for one reason or another they've sparked rapidly rising traveller attention this year.

'For the British destinations, and especially Ilford, it's encouraging news – and it's likely we can attribute much of this spike in traffic to increased interest generally in the UK as excitement builds around next year's Olympics.'

Europe's 2011 top ten fasting growing destinations, based on year-on-year increases in searches on TripAdvisor sites globally, are:

1. Ilford, Essex – UK
2. Valras-Plage – France
3. Trafford, Greater Manchester – UK
4. Tamworth, Staffordshire – UK
5. Brandon, Suffolk – UK
6. Yalta – Ukraine
7. Salford, Greater Manchester – UK
8. Warrington, Cheshire – UK
9. Warminster, Wiltshire – UK
10. Hounslow, Middlesex – UK


Sign up to our weekly newsletterFollow us on TwitterBecome a fan on Facebook