UK holidaymakers moving away from Europe

Increasing numbers of Britons will avoid travel to continental Europe in 2009 as a result of the poor exchange rate between the pound and the euro, a new report has indicated.

In a study conducted by the Foreign Office and the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) it was found that holidaymakers were choosing destinations such as Egypt, Turkey and Mexico instead.

The report, which was jointly compiled, was based on the responses of more than 2,000 adults in the UK.

For Britons travelling outside of Europe for the first time, the Foreign Office advises them to familiarize themselves with local laws before heading off. It has stressed that behaviour which passes for normal in Greece or Spain might not be at all acceptable in Dubai.

According to the report, the number of travellers visiting Egypt is up by 38 per cent, and bookings for Turkey are up by 32 per cent.

Other destinations that have increased in popularity include the Caribbean, Croatia, Cuba, Dubai, Iceland, Israel and Poland.

In addition, with the election of Barack Obama as the next US president, there is a 13 per cent increase in the number of Britons who say they are planning to visit America in 2009.

Those surveyed said that the historic significance of the American election and the relatively low cost of travel within the US were the major reasons they were planning on travel to the US.

It was also shown in the report that the number of holidaymakers choosing camping or caravanning trips is likely to increase.

www.abta.com