Holiday-loving Britons are spending over 50% more on getaways compared with the beginning of the decade, according to a survey out today.

The average British household is likely to spend £1,801 on holidays this
year, 52.6% more than in 2001, according to figures from travel insurance
firm InsureandGo.

The total cost of holidays, including spending money, is rising at an
annual rate of 8.92%, the survey found.

Londoners are the highest spenders when it comes to holidays, with an
average household in the capital spending £1965 per year between 2003 and
2006. Those living in the north-east of England spent the least, at an
average £1,444. Scottish and Welsh households came in just above the
north-east on £1,154.40 and £1076.40 respectively.

Perry Wilson, from InsureandGo, said: "Holiday inflation is probably being
fuelled by the fact that many people now travel further for their holidays
and take more adventurous, and therefore often more expensive, breaks."

Meanwhile a 400,000-strong rise in the number of ferry journeys in 2006 was
reported today by the Passenger Shipping Association. The increase bucks
the recent downward trend in passenger numbers. A total of 36 million trips were taken between British ports and continental Europe, Ireland and British
islands, according to the PSA, with car journeys on short routes out of
Dover increasing by just under 4%.