In this hard financial climate, it seems that getting together and letting off a bit of steam with friends is still the mainstay for survival against a hostile world. It has been interesting to see how or even whether the current recession has hit the entertainment industry, and an analysis at specialist stag-do organiser DesignaVenture has certainly thrown up some remarkable stats to the contrary.

If  planning a girlie or guy trip away, here is what 2011 indicated in the popularity stakes:

It might be all the celebs that raised its profile this year, but Rob Brydon, Katherine Jenkins, Rhod Gilbert and Batchelor Gavin Henson have certainly wooed to the green, green grass of Wales, which was up 32% as a destination in 2011.

Ever popular stag-dos to Bristol are still climbing, with a rise of 23%. Who would have thought that a West Country accent would become so trendy? Did the Royal wedding pull London up a notch, or was it all just Made in Chelsea? Maybe, as visits rose by 17%, though Nottingham’s rockin’ party culture also kept it nudging forward and up 16%.

Even with such a dismal summer, Britain’s coastal resorts still remained on the party radar, and benders to Bournemouth leapt up by 9%. And what are revellers doing on their mad weekends away? Most popular daytime activities are the motor sports, specifically, karting (indoor and outdoor), rage and dirt buggies, quads, rallying and the like.

For those keen to get kicks after the daily grind, other outdoor pursuits on the rise are clay-pigeon shooting, deep-sea fishing (thank you Robson Green) and the outer limits of gorge scrambling. Goodness, the nation is an adventurous lot. Clearly, there are still some traditionalists though, as steadfastly holding their firm favourite position are the dog and horseracing venues.

Plus, proving that gambling is now disconcertingly one of the country’s top occupations, casino nights are hugely popular as part of a party package. Curiously, people have not all lost their heads completely by going on totally liquid nights out, as a spokesperson from DesignaVenture also advised, “Night-time activities are on the up, with more meals with bars and clubs being pre-booked so our clients were not leaving anything to chance”.

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