Rio wins, and in second place is . . . well, Cavan

Go Niche:THERE ARE LIES, damned lies and statistics, but what are we to think about surveys?

According to the latest just in from booking website Hotels.com, part of the international Expedia group, the destination which saw the highest year-on-year increase in hotel searches by Irish people, during February, was Rio de Janeiro.

It makes sense – Carnival was coming and there were all those stories about fires in the samba groups’ costume departments in the news. Little wonder therefore that the Brazilian city scored a 337 per cent increase in search engine interest.

It’s the runner-up that’s puzzling. The second biggest climber in the hotel site’s hot list was, ta daa, Cavan. It enjoyed a whopping 274 per cent increase in holiday search activity.

Now what could possibly account for that? I had a quick look at the Discover Cavan website to find out and, apart from having the world’s first global geopark – no, me neither – it has a newly renovated railway station in Belturbet and, eh, that’s about it.

Fáilte Ireland has Cavan down as the country’s “best kept secret” and it looks like they’re keeping it that way.

Third in the Hotels.com hot list is Maspalomas (up 267 per cent), which makes sense as the Gran Canarian resort is perfect for winter sun. Toronto comes fourth (247 per cent), which to me says emigration.

Cardiff is in there (up 246 per cent) as a result of all those rugger fans checking out accommodation for today’s Six Nations match. Next up is Carlow, another blip, before moving on to Dingle, Kenmare and Donegal, traditional holiday stalwarts all.

None of which however explains how Cavan came second. “Damn it, can’t get those flights to Rio. Let’s go to Cavan instead . . .” No. Just can’t see it.

• hotels.com