The operator said it had seen a 310% year-on-year sales surge for Costa Rica - hailing a direct British Airways service from Gatwick to San Jose launched last year as helping to fuel demand.

Elsewhere, Canada makes its first appearance on Kuoni’s top 20 best-selling destinations list, moving up four places into 19th position.

Helping back its rise, Kuoni believes, is the publicity surrounding the destination’s 150th anniversary of its Confederation and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau’s “cool not cold” tourism drive.

Meanwhile, Kuoni reports that a weak South African rand has helped lure holidaymakers to the country’s shores, with the destination seeing a rise of three places to 15th position on the best-sellers list.

Derek Jones, managing director of Kuoni said: “January and February is always the peak period for holiday sales, so at this point in the year we’re able to see some clear patterns emerging for the year ahead.

“It’s clear value for money is one of the key drivers for 2017 regardless of how big or small people’s travel budget is.”

Topping this year’s list is the Kuoni heartland destinations of the Maldives, with Mauritius in second place and Sri Lanka in third.

Despite Britain’s looming exit from the European Union and the devalued pound, Kuoni said it had seen demand for holidays to the continent - with Greece experiencing a 30% year-on-year increase.

Jones added: “Despite one of the most turbulent political periods I’ve seen in my lifetime, it’s still very clear that travel has become integral to people’s lifestyles and thirst for travel is still very much there.

“We’re seeing creativity like never before in the tourism industry – everything from star-gazing platforms to dining for two on a private sandbank - travel has never been more exciting.”