Many holidaymakers are looking to North Africa and the Middle East. Chris Logan, commercial director for Tui UK & Ireland<\/a>, says that bookings for Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt are on the rise. \u201cEarly indications show that North Africa is doing really well this year, driven by the great value for money those destinations offer,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n Likewise, tour operator Explore Worldwide <\/a>reported a 100 per cent increase in bookings to Tunisia, Egypt and Oman in 2025.<\/p>\n From Oman\u2019s empty desert sands to Morocco\u2019s Atlantic beaches, here are the destinations where you can escape Brexit hassles and find warmth in 2026.<\/p>\n New FeatureIn ShortQuick Stories. Same trusted journalism.<\/p>\n Tunisia<\/p>\n In June 2015, Tunisia\u2019s<\/a> then-booming tourist sector was devastated following a terror attack on a Sousse beach. In 2014, 425,000 British holidaymakers visited Tunisia. This dropped to 208,000 in 2015 and 23,500 in 2016. It has taken a decade for Britons to return in the same numbers, but in 2025, the promise of sunshine and low prices attracted nearly 450,000 British holidaymakers \u2013 a 37 per cent increase compared with 2024.<\/p>\n \u201cTunisia continues to prove itself as a standout winter-sun destination for British holidaymakers, combining warmth, culture and excellent value,\u201d says Nicholas Smith, holidays digital director at Thomas Cook<\/a>. \u201cTunisia was named our best-value winter-sun destination in 2025, and that accolade still holds today.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Smith, Tunisia consistently has the lowest average booking values (the average amount paid for a holiday) across Thomas Cook\u2019s winter-sun destinations.<\/p>\n Smith suggests beach lovers head to Hammamet, where resorts line the Mediterranean coastline and wineries on the nearby Cape Bon Peninsula offer a taste of Tunisia\u2019s 2,000-year-old viticulture.<\/p>\n Further south, Sousse<\/a> is Tunisia\u2019s real comeback destination. With sandy beaches fronting all-inclusive resorts, you can soak up winter sun before day-tripping to the Roman ruins of El Jem\u2019s remarkable amphitheatre or into the shifting sands of the Sahara.<\/p>\n UK passport holders can enter Tunisia visa-free for 90 days. Thomas Cook offers a week\u2019s all-inclusive at the four-star Marhaba Club<\/a> in Sousse from \u00a3277pp, including return flights departing Luton on 22 February.<\/p>\n Morocco<\/p>\n This is North Africa\u2019s most successful tourism story. In 2025, the Moroccan National Tourist Office<\/a> announced a record 19.8 million visitors \u2013 a 14 per cent increase on 2024. The tourism industry has been recovering following the devastating earthquake of September 2023.<\/p>\n Morocco\u2019s ambitious target of 26 million tourists by 2030 (when it co-hosts the Fifa World Cup<\/a>) might leave Britons wondering whether they\u2019ve missed the moment, but don\u2019t worry, because lesser-known cities such as Rabat and T\u00e9touan are taking centre stage in 2026.<\/p>\n Royal Air Maroc<\/a> is transforming the Mediterranean city of T\u00e9touan into a hub with the launch of direct flights to European capitals from 27 March, including twice weekly from Gatwick.<\/p>\n Explore T\u00e9touan\u2019s Unesco World Heritage<\/a>-listed medina, where medieval alleyways and whitewashed houses form one of the best examples of Islamic-Andalucian architecture in Morocco. Nearby, Martil Beach and Tamuda Bay offer sweeping Mediterranean views.<\/p>\n Another emerging Moroccan destination is Rabat, which, surprisingly for a capital city, has remained off the tourist radar. That\u2019s set to change, with British Airways<\/a> having launched a twice-weekly service from Gatwick in November, and Unesco designating this ancient city, home to the colourful Kasbah des Oudaias and the historic Royal Palace of Rabat, as 2026\u2019s World Book Capital<\/a>.<\/p>\n Royal Air Maroc will fly from Gatwick to T\u00e9touan from \u00a3236 return. One Thousand and One Nights Riad <\/a>has colourful and traditional lodgings in T\u00e9touan\u2019s medina (B&B from \u00a340) or splash out on a beachside stay at the Sofitel Tamuda Bay Beach & Spa<\/a> (doubles from \u00a3134).<\/p>\n In Rabat, Riad Sidi Fatah<\/a>, in the heart of the medina and a 10-minute walk from the sea, has doubles from \u00a385.<\/p>\n Egypt<\/p>\n Egypt\u2019s tourism economy has been affected by regional conflict since 2023, but visitor numbers are now on the rise. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities <\/a>reported a record 19 million international arrivals in 2025 \u2013 a 21 per cent increase on 2024.<\/p>\n Catering to increased British demand, Jet2<\/a> will launch the Red Sea beach resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada as its newest destinations for next year.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Tui<\/a> has announced Cairo as its newest city break destination with flights from Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester delivering visitors to explore the pyramids at Giza, the monumental new Grand Egyptian Museum<\/a> and more.<\/p>\n Tui\u2019s commercial director, Chris Logan, said, \u201cEgypt is one of the best-value winter sun destinations. You get brilliant hotels, unforgettable experiences and fantastic value for money, especially during the winter months.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\tYour next read<\/p>\n The tour operator\u2019s beach breaks will take you to Marsa Alam, Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh, where you can snorkel among the Red Sea corals of Ras Mohammed National Park <\/a>or lounge on Naama Bay\u2019s white sand beach.<\/p>\n In Hurghada, you will find even more world-class snorkelling and diving at offshore spots such as Giftun Island, a short boat ride from the beach resorts. Tui has a week\u2019s all-inclusive at Coral Sea Aqua Club<\/a> in Sharm el Sheikh from \u00a3876pp in March, including flights from Luton.<\/p>\n Egypt offers far more than its Red Sea coastline, and tour company Wild Frontiers<\/a> reports a 60 per cent increase in bookings. Clare Tobin, Wild Frontier\u2019s chief executive, highlights the long-awaited full opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo last November (Tutankhamun\u2019s tomb is displayed in full for the first time), and the desire of many to follow in the footsteps of Agatha Christie\u2019s Death on the Nile. Wild Frontiers\u2019 nine-day Highlights of Ancient Egypt Tour<\/a> starts from \u00a32,850pp, excluding flights.<\/p>\n Oman<\/p>\n Regional conflicts have caused declining visitor numbers in many Middle Eastern destinations, notably Jordan. Oman, however, is bucking this trend, with Explore Worldwide<\/a> reporting a 101 per cent booking increase last year.<\/p>\n \u201cOman is effortlessly welcoming and wonderfully diverse,\u201d says Valentina Chironna, Explore Worldwide\u2019s Middle East product manager. \u201cFrom the bustling hubs of Muscat<\/a> and the blue coast at Fins Beach, to the fiery red dunes of the Wahiba Sands and the dramatic canyon of Jebel Sham, there is an incredible range of experiences on offer.\u201d<\/p>\n Chironna highlights Oman\u2019s authentic Arabian experiences \u2013 something lost in neighbouring metropolises such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar \u2013 as one of its biggest draws.<\/p>\n She recommends bartering with locals in Nizwa souk, supporting women\u2019s sewing co-operatives in Muscat, and exploring the centuries-old mud-brick buildings found in traditional mountain villages such as Al Hamra.<\/p>\n Britons can enter Oman visa-free for up to 14 days, leaving plenty of time for Explore Worldwide\u2019s nine-day-long Mountains, Deserts and Coast of Oman trip<\/a>, from \u00a32,234pp, excluding flights.<\/p>\n Turkey<\/p>\n Despite enduring an ongoing currency crisis, Turkey\u2019s<\/a> popularity among Britons persists. The latest figures show 4.4 million British tourists visited in 2024 \u2013 a 16 per cent rise on 2023. The lack of red tape should ensure this trend continues, with Britons enjoying 90 days of visa-free travel.<\/p>\n Turkey\u2019s Turquoise Coast, where Greek and Roman ruins line Mediterranean shores, draws the bulk of British crowds.<\/p>\n \u201cTurkey is proving to be very popular, with Antalya seeing particularly strong bookings,\u201d says Tony Hopkins, easyJet Holidays<\/a>\u2019 trading and development director. \u201cTurkey is also a firm favourite among families, with almost a third more free kids\u2019 places booked this year versus last year.\u201d<\/p>\n In Antalya, Roman relics such as Hadrian\u2019s Gate are within walking distance of the 7km-long Konyaalt\u0131 Beach Promenade. Tui is banking on the Turquoise Coast being a long-term hit. In April, it is opening the adults-only Tui Blue Maviss<\/a>, which is on the beachfront close to the quieter resort town of Side, where you can explore Greco-Roman temples and a 2nd century AD amphitheatre.<\/p>\n EasyJet Holidays offers a week at the Crowne Plaza Antalya<\/a> from \u00a3416pp for a king room, room only, including flights from Gatwick.<\/p>\n Tui offers a seven-night all-inclusive at the Tui Blue Maviss from \u00a3871pp, including flights.<\/p>\n For those who prefer to travel independently, Han Apart Hotel Side<\/a> is a five-minute walk from the beach and around 20 minutes\u2019 walk from the city centre and has two-bedroom apartments for \u00a386 in April.<\/p>\n Cyprus<\/p>\n This Mediterranean island is in the European Union, but not in Schengen, so EES won\u2019t affect arriving Britons. Fewer border formalities mean more time for the beach, and with temperatures reaching highs of 25\u00b0C by April, Cyprus<\/a>\u2019 Mediterranean climate is attracting UK travellers.<\/p>\n \u201cCyprus is an increasingly popular, value-driven destination,\u201d says Kerry Briers, a travel agent and Cyprus expert at SPL Villas<\/a>. \u201cYear-on-year, villa bookings to Cyprus over the Easter holidays have almost doubled.\u201d<\/p>\n Briers says searches for Cyprus as a destination on the SPL Villas website are up by 62 per cent, suggesting high demand for Cypriot villa holidays. Briers has four favoured hot spots she loves sending customers to: Latchi and Paphos on the west side, and Protaras and Nissi Beach on the east. The average price for a week\u2019s villa holiday in March or April is around \u00a3500 less than a similar villa in Rhodes, Greece.<\/p>\n Just as the Greek goddess Aphrodite is said to have fallen in love with Adonis in Latchi, you will no doubt quickly fall for the town\u2019s picturesque harbour and sandy, mile-long beach, while nearby, hiking trails weave through the forests of Akamas National Park<\/a>. Nissi Beach is home to glorious white sands, close to Ayia Napa, but far enough away to escape the crowds. But it is Protaras that takes top spot for Briers.<\/p>\n \u201cWith shallow, calm waters, Protaras is very safe for young children and far more relaxed than some of the party-heavy destinations on the island,\u201d she says, adding that the resort, where Fig Tree Beach\u2019s white sands lead down to turquoise waters, has been SPL Villas\u2019 most popular family destination this year. \u201cIt\u2019s also walkable, so there is no need to rely on public transport or bother with car rentals.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Tetouan](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_282469683.jpg\")
The beaches of Tetouan in Morocco (Photo: jaouad.K\/iStock Editorial\/Getty)<\/p>\n![\"CAIRO,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_282468550.jpg\")
The Grand Egyptian Museum is displaying the country\u2019s most famous antiquities (Photo: Mohamed Elshahed\/Anadolu\/Getty)<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t![\"Article](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_280666320.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Aerial](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_282473959.jpg\")
The dramatic cliffs of Oman (Photo: Eval\/iStockphoto\/Getty)<\/p>\n![\"Ancient](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_282373126.jpg\")
Roman ruins in Side in the Manavgat district of Antalya, Turkey <\/p>\n![\"Agios](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_282572783-e1769774926847.jpg\")
Agios Nicolas in the city of Protaras (Photo: AlexSava\/E+\/RG&B Images\/Getty)<\/p>\n