The Caribbean was overflowing with celebrities, who may account for the recent spike in holiday bookings to Barbados and St Lucia – both up by at least 130 per cent compared to last year.

A favorite with the rich and famous, Barbados welcomed Simon Cowell, Coleen Rooney , Olly Murs and native Rihanna to its crystal clear waters, while St Lucia, already a favorite with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, was the choice for Gwyneth Paltrow who posted pictures of her family enjoying a blissful beach break.

Meanwhile the draw of the ‘Spanish Caribbean’ attracted Alexa Chung, Pixie Geldof and Nick Grimshaw who partied in Puerto Rico together, while couples Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux , Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, and Jessica Alba and Cash Warren enjoyed romantic breaks to Mexico.

Claire Bentley, British Airways Holidays managing director, said: “The start of the year is always the busiest time for bookings – people are back at work and need something to look forward to. The wet weather over Christmas, combined with lots of enticing pictures of celebrities on holiday has clearly influenced the rise we’re seeing in beach holidays.”

The airline has also seen a rise in bookings to Hawaii, up by 100 per cent in the past year. Blessed with beautiful beaches and natural beauty, it’s no surprise that it’s popular with the jet-set, including Katy Perry and John Mayer, Steven Tyler, Jude Law and even the President of the United States, who all vacationed on the islands during the recent holidays.

Other top destinations for stars included Dubai, enjoyed by Rita Ora, Denise van Outen and Nell McAndrew, and Australia – popular with Leonardo DiCpario, Mariah Carey and fellow Aussies Kylie Minogue and Nicole Kidman returning for New Year celebrations.