DORSET has been named the ideal holiday replacement for Tenerife for UK holidaymakers choosing a staycation this year.

A new study has compared a list of the top 10 most popular European destinations based on search volume, and found alternative UK destinations for each, based on climate data, cost to visit and entertainment provisions.

The Dorset Coastal Cottages’ Duplicate Destinations study found that Dorset is the UK location with the closest average climate score to the Spanish island - as well as being famous for its beaches and tourist attractions.

With 1,798 hours of sun on average per year, annual temperatures of 11.06C and 905 inches of rainfall, Dorset has a similar average across the three to Tenerife - where there are 2438 hours of sun, temperatures of 21.5C and average rainfall of 895 inches.

With millions of Brits unable to travel abroad due to current restrictions, staycations are yet again set to prove popular this year, with more people looking to escape to the sun.

In fact, recent studies have shown that 83 per cent of Brits would now prefer a UK staycation than choose to travel abroad, due to cost concerns, self-isolation requirements and quarantine measures leading to uncertainty among holidaymakers.

The study shows that there’s no need to travel abroad to make the most of the summer weather - as top UK destinations that boast high sun hours, hot temperatures and low rainfall include Dorset, Cornwall, Edinburgh and Richmond - based on climate scores.

Climate scores assigned in the study were worked out by averaging out the annual sun hours, average temperature and average rainfall per year for each location, with areas then matching up to their European counterparts to show which places are closest in weather.

Shannon Keary, digital PR manager at Dorset Coastal Cottages, commented on the study, which aims to reassure Brits that there are holiday-worthy destinations for those who need to stay in the UK - even if the climate isn’t quite the same.

“It’s no surprise that holidaymakers’ first concern when deciding where to visit abroad is the sun - especially after the last year," she said.

“However, there are many beautiful and enriching cities in the UK that are worth visiting that can provide a similar holiday experience - especially for those who are looking for exciting local culture, recognisable tourist attractions and a change from the same four walls we see at home.

“Despite the European destinations typically getting to enjoy more frequent sunshine hours than we do here in the UK, there are still so many amazing destinations right here on our doorstep that are really worth exploring, with many other comparable features to typical holiday hotspots.”

To see the full results of the Duplicate Destinations study, visit: www.dorsetcoastalcottages.com/guides/duplicate-destinations