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Surveys show Brits still plan holidays

[January 7th 2009]

Brits are still determined to take holidays despite the gloomy economy according to recent surveys.

The country may be in recession and the pound may be struggling against the euro and the dollar, but the surveys reveal the importance to Brits of taking a holiday to recharge the batteries and get away from it all.

A survey by online holiday deals company Travelzoo reveals that no less than 95% of more than 6,000 respondents in the UK, France, Spain and Germany plan to take a holiday before the end of June. And just over 35% plan to take two or more breaks in the next six months.

This means, says Travelzoo that its 2.2 million subscribers could spend as much as £4.5 billion on leisure travel in the first half of 2009 alone. Travellers from the UK plan to spend the second most on average on their holiday - £478 - while Germans plan to spend the most, £560.

In more good news for the travel industry, a survey by travel comparison site Travelsupermarket.com has found that Brits plan to take more holidays this year than last year. The survey found the average number of holidays planned by Brits has risen to 1.8 in 2009 compared to just 1.5 in 2008.

Travelsupermarket.com has also revealed its top 10 value destinations for 2009. All these holiday destinations are outside the eurozone and the US. The destinations are: the UK, Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Thailand, Iceland, Morocco, Bulgaria, South Africa, and Canada.

A survey by Lastminute.com highlights the increasing trend towards all-inclusive holidays as Brits strive to get better value from their holidays. Lastminute.com’s figures show there has been a 21% increase in demand for all-inclusive holidays compared to last year.

Holiday Extras own survey shows that in the current climate British travellers are looking to be more adventurous and expand their horizons. The survey asked customers what their holiday dreams are for 2009.

More than 1,000 people responded and no less than 48% said they intended to ‘do something totally different and really memorable’. And almost 31% said they wanted to discover a new destination in 2009. To help people plan their holidays this year Holiday Extras has compiled a list of 25 must-see destinations based on the recommendations of leading journalists, editors and broadcasters.

Written by: Nick Purdom

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