OVER half (59 per cent) of Brits would now consider going on a nudist holiday, sunbathing in the buff or visiting a nudist beach, a survey reveals. As guests go nuts for the launch of nude restaurants in both Australia and the UK, and butt-naked dating on TV is now a thing, more than a third of British men (35 per cent) say they would consider sunbathing naked this year and 14 per cent would go on a nudist holiday, compared to 17 per cent and six per cent respectively for women.
Around eight per cent of Brits have been on a nudist holiday, however, a third (33 per cent) of self-confessed nudists admit they keep it secret from friends, family and colleagues. Getting an all-over tan is the most popular reason to bare all on the beach, with 42 per cent of the vote, while 21 per cent do it to 'reconnect with nature' and one in five (20 per cent) want to 'step out of their comfort zone'.
Analysis of online search data undertaken by lastminute.com reveals a 52 per cent increase in the number of searches for 'best nudist beaches in Europe' since January, while searches for 'nudist beaches' are up 23 per cent over the same period.
Andrew Welch, British Naturism, the UK's organisation for Naturists said: “We know that people are far more willing to try social nudity and so it's great to have confirmation that more and more of us are letting go of any hang-ups and are feeling comfortable in the skin we're in. For those visiting a Naturist/Nudist beach for the first time, the best advice is to relax, enjoy the sensation of the sun, breeze and sea on your whole body and realise that no one is worried about how you look.”
It seems Brits are most adventurous when they're younger, with 52 per cent of 18-24 year olds saying they would consider a nudist holiday, sunbathe naked or visit a nudist beach. This is in contrast to 38 per cent of Brits aged over 55.
But it's not just beaches which are popular nudist spots. In fact, it's hotel room balconies that come top of the list of places to catch some rays, with 30 per of those surveyed admitting they've sunbathed naked on one. Ten per cent have sunbathed without swimwear by a swimming pool and eight per cent in a forest or park.
When it comes to beach activities in the buff, more than half of Brits say they see no harm in people playing volleyball (55 per cent), 40 per cent don't see an issue with naked football, while frisbee (26 per cent) and badminton (34 per cent) complete the top four.
For those looking for less conventional beach-side fun, the research revealed more than one in five (22 per cent) have had sex on the beach and around 16 per cent have gone skinny dipping in the sea.
Fabio Cannavale, CEO of lastminute.com group, said: “Getting naked in public is becoming more and more mainstream as legions of holidaymakers look to reconnect with nature. Luckily, lastminute.com has plenty of destinations close to some of the best, bare-it-all beaches in the world. So go on, give it a go, you don't know until you try.”
