More students are opting for holidays in distant, exotic locations, according to new research.

Over half of all students take a break beyond the confines of Europe, with 13 per cent heading to the Americas, eight per cent opting for south-east Asia and five per cent flying to Australia and New Zealand, the study by Accommodationforstudents.com found.

Popular destinations in south-east Asia included Bangkok, Manila and Kuala Lumpur, while Spain, Portugal and Italy came top for those wanting a break in the western Mediterranean.

Elsewhere, Athens and Istanbul were the most cited destinations in the eastern Mediterranean.

The study also found that 43 per cent of students will not be taking a holiday this year, primarily due to financial reasons and time constraints.

Recent figures from the International Air Transport Association revealed that flights to the Middle East saw a 17.6 per cent increase in demand between January and April this year, with Africa also seeing a significant rise.

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