'Travellers favour great outdoors'

More holidaymakers now want to take a trip based on outdoor activities than they did last year, according to a new survey.

About 43 per cent of travellers are likely to go hiking on their breaks, compared with 24 per cent last year, the survey by TripAdvisor reveals.

The travel website also found that a quarter of holidaymakers take their own cleaning supplies and towels abroad, while 59 per cent plan to take to the beach on their next holiday.

"Nearly 4,000 travellers have spoken about their vacation plans and preferences for 2007 and perhaps the most intriguing discovery is that adventures in the great outdoors has trumped luxuriating at the spa," commented Michele Perry, director of communications for TripAdvisor.

The website also conducted separate research to determine the up-and-coming holiday destinations for 2007.

Pamukkale in Turkey came top of the list, followed by Parga in Greece and Ayr in Scotland.

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