Brits to spend £153 bn on holidays

Eight in 10 will take at least three breaks as travel firms slash prices.

London: A survey has found that recession hit Britons will be spending 153 billion pounds on holidays this year.

Eight in 10 will take at least three breaks as desperate travel firms slash prices, and will spend 700 pounds each on booze and shopping every trip. The survey also found that despite the credit crunch, Brits are splashing out 36 percent more on holidays than a decade ago. They are taking advantage of the many cheap deals – such as Thomson and First Choice’s seven-night stay in Cyprus in May for just over 200 pounds. Travel firm lowcostholidays.com has even bought its own tropical island near Barbados to offer cheap breaks. “As we know, everyone is being squeezed by the cost of living,” the Daily Star quoted the firm’s Daniel Rice as saying. “But we’re seeing more holidaymakers looking at breaks and long haul destinations than ever,” he said. The best bargain hotspots are Greece, Spain and the Balearics. According to a poll by ebookers.com those who live in the East Midlands are the biggest holiday spenders, averaging 2,943 pounds each year. People living in Northern Ireland are set to spend the least in 2011. ANI