Great Yarmouth has been rated the UK's best value staycation destination.

Eastern Daily Press: The grand reopening of the Venetian Waterways and Boating Lake, Great Yarmouth. Picture: Jamie HoneywoodThe grand reopening of the Venetian Waterways and Boating Lake, Great Yarmouth. Picture: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Accommodation website HomeAway recorded a 15pc year-on-year average reduction in prices paid in the Norfolk resort in 2019, to £23 per person per night.

The firm reported growing demand for domestic breaks in the coastal town, which saw the return of its Venice-inspired boating lake last summer for the first time in a decade as part of a £2.7 million restoration.

The restoration of the waterways, led by Great Yarmouth Borough Council and supported by the National Lottery, has already landed a number of national awards.

The replacement of the seafront Marina Centre, which saw bulldozers start demolition work last month, is also hoped to add to tourism, rather than blight the Golden Mile, according to councillors, while a unique white-knuckle ride is currently being custom-built for the Pleasure Beach, and could be open by Easter.

Eastern Daily Press: Great Yarmouth beach from the pier. PHOTO: Sonya DuncanGreat Yarmouth beach from the pier. PHOTO: Sonya Duncan (Image: Archant)

Tourism is a major industry to the town, with 35pc of all jobs in the area being tourism-related, council figures show.

London was HomeAway's most popular staycation destination, despite an 8pc increase in average prices compared with 2018, up to £72 per person per night.

Scottish capital Edinburgh was in second place, followed by the Yorkshire seaside town of Whitby.

Portugal's Albufeira was the most popular overseas destination, followed by Florida's Kissimmee in the US and Playa Blanca on Lanzarote in Spain's Canary Islands.

Eastern Daily Press: Great Yarmouth's newly restored Waterways and Boating Lake. Picture: GYBCGreat Yarmouth's newly restored Waterways and Boating Lake. Picture: GYBC (Image: GYBC)

HomeAway regional director for UK and Ireland, Karen Mullins, said: "The latest findings paint a very positive picture for our much-loved UK seaside resorts, which continue to provide great value for money along with sun, sea and sand - everything UK families could wish for in a holiday together.

"It's particularly great to see traditional seaside destinations like Great Yarmouth firmly back on the map as popular tourist hotspots, in addition to our ever-popular cities like London and Edinburgh."

"It's promising to see that concerns over Brexit have not held back families in booking their well-earned holidays and are choosing to visit popular destinations in Europe, including family-friendly favourite Spain."