For the love of beaches and all things sunny: Spain tops the list

A new international survey reveals the most popular beach destinations in the world and people’s beach-going habits including their biggest pet peeves and etiquettes.

This one is for beach lovers. A new international survey reveals the most popular beach destinations in the world and people’s beach-going habits including their biggest pet peeves and etiquettes.

At the worldwide level, the most visited beaches are found in Spain, followed by Australia, Italy and Mexico.(Shutterstock)

For Expedia’s annual Flip Flop Report, more than 11,150 adults in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand were asked about their beach-going habits.

Here are some key findings:

The most popular beach destinations

The answer to this differs among beach-goers around the world. The beach destination most visited by US sun worshippers is Mexico. At the worldwide level, the most visited beaches are found in Spain, followed by Australia, Italy and Mexico.

Beach-goers are majorly put off by encroachers, loudmouths and slobs. (Shutterstock)

Beach etiquette

Are you a beach slob? Do you turn a blind eye when your kid sand-bombs sunbathers for fun? Congratulations, you are among the most reviled beach-goers out there. Here’s how the pet peeves rank:

1. The slob: 48%

2. The inattentive parent: 44%

3. The loudmouth: 37%

4. The encroacher: 35%

5. The boozer: 34%

Who are most likely to hit the beach in their birthday suit?

That title goes to Austrians, who dethroned Germans for the first time. This year, Austrian respondents held a leading edge over German beach-goers, with 28% admitting to stripping down to their skivvies at a public beach compared to 25% of Germans. The figure dips to 18% for American beach-goers and 10% worldwide. Predictably, the shyest, most modest beach-goers hail from Asia.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who are the fairest beach-goers of them all?

That honor goes to Europe, with nearly a quarter (24%) of respondents citing European beach-goers as the most attractive followed by the sunbathers from the Caribbean (17%), and Americans (14%).

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