Millions of Britons will be spending Christmas and New Year soaking up the sun or hurtling down ski slopes, new research has indicated.
Figures from the Association of British Travel Insurers (Abta) have shown that 3.5 million will be heading for the airport or Channel Tunnel over the period between December 21st and January 2nd.
The most popular warm weather destinations are the Canary Islands, Goa and Egypt, while Abta has said sales are going well for Alpine ski destinations, where good early season snowfall is in contrast to last year's very mild conditions.
Online travel agents Ebookers.com are also seeing a surge in custom from those wanting to swap the British winter for foreign climes.
In addition to 15 per cent of the 8,000 respondents to the firm's survey stated that they always go away at Christmas, while 23 per cent of those spending this time overseas said they were doing so for the first time.
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