More Brits seeking winter sun, says expert

The majority of Britons booking their Christmas break abroad tend to opt for sunshine-filled getaways, according to one expert.

Frances Tuke, spokesperson for the Association of British Travel Agents, said that destinations such as the Caribbean, Africa and the far east tend to see a significant rise in bookings for the winter season.

She commented: "The Caribbean is very big over the winter. Increasingly you are finding African nations [are popular] - Kenya, Gambia, Tanzania."

Ms Tuke added that other destinations such as the Canary Islands, Egypt, Cyprus, Turkey and Dubai are also coming to the attention of winter holidaymakers more, with New York also a significant location due to the strength of the pound against the dollar.

"I think we might well see a great number of people going over in November," she stated, going on to note that this is because winter sales in the USA tend to begin after Thanksgiving.

The comments come as a number of airlines, including Virgin Atlantic, begin selling flight tickets for the Christmas and new year period.

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