The 'Maldives of Europe' among 10 hidden destinations from Manchester Airport

Manchester Airport has identified its fastest-growing summer beach destinations, highlighting “Maldives of Europe” beaches on the Albanian Riviera and rising demand for multiple European locations. Airport bosses say social media and changing travel trends are driving the growth, with some destinations seeing passenger numbers double or even triple versus last year. Manchester expects a record summer season in 2026, supported by nearly complete £1.3bn work on Terminal 2 and ongoing redevelopment of Terminal 3. La Palma (Canary Islands) bookings are up 200%, with nearly 15,000 passengers expected this summer versus fewer than 5,000 in 2025. Jerez de la Frontera (+100%), Preveza (+49%), Verona (+47%), and others including Santander, Valencia, Zadar, Tirana, Marseille and Porto are also rising.