They wowed the crowds with their rendition of Lipstick last year and, despite only coming eighth, it seems that Jedward can expect plenty of support again this year as they try to pick up the coveted douze points around Europe at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Latest figures from Hotels.com show that there has been a 133% increase in Irish searches for Baku in Azerbaijan where the Eurovision Song Contest final is being held compared to the same period last year – indicating that many Irish people are planning to make the trip to Baku to cheer Jedward on.
Similarly, figures from across Europe indicate that this year’s contest is set to be a popular one, with searches from Denmark up 400%, searches from France up 222%, and Germany up 286%.
Unsurprisingly, the biggest increase in searches is from neighbouring country Russia, where searches were up by a staggering 688%. The Italian supporters, on the other hand, have shown the least interest in travelling to Baku so far, with just a 100% increase in searches compared to the previous year.
| Country | % Increase* |
| Russia | 688% |
| Denmark | 400% |
| Norway | 383% |
| Netherlands | 367% |
| Finland | 333% |
| Germany | 286% |
| Spain | 241% |
| France | 222% |
| Sweden | 196% |
| Ireland | 133% |
| UK | 125% |
| Italy | 100% |
* The data is based on searches during 1/1/2012 – 28/02/2012 compared to the same dates in 2011.
Kate Hopcraft from Hotels.com said: “Ireland has a great track record in the Eurovision Song Contest and while Jedward didn’t scoop the top prize last year, they were one of the most popular acts on the night. It seems that our love for Jedward hasn’t waivered and the figures indicate that many people are planning a trip to Azerbaijan to cheer them on again this year.
“The newly built arena in Baku will seat approximately 16,000 at each live show, so judging by the significant level of interest from the likes of Russia and Denmark so far, other countries will need to get booking sooner rather than later.”
