Christmas travellers 'want touch of home'
While ever-increasing numbers of holidaymakers are placing bookings ahead of Christmas, the Association of Independent Tour Operators (Aito) said notions that people want to 'escape' the UK are misguided.
A spokesperson for the professional group insisted that jetsetters' desire to escape the chilly winter weather does not translate into a total rejection of all things British, with may seeking out home comforts as soon as they touch down in sunnier climes.
"Even though we're away from home, people still want the feeling of home," he asserted.
"The traditional favourite would have been the Caribbean … A lot people want to go there, with great beaches and hotels, and it still has a traditional British feel in many of the places."
According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of overseas trips taken by UK residents spiked one per cent in the year to August 2008, reaching 70.4 million. 
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