Britons looking to spend Christmas on foreign soil tend to pick Spain over other destinations, an expert has said.

According to Frances Tuke of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), a large proportion of British foreign property owners have holiday homes in Spain, leading to it becoming one of the most popular festive destinations.

She added that other locations seen as ideal for a sunshine-filled Christmas break include the Canary Islands, the Caribbean, North Africa and Dubai.

Meanwhile, those looking to celebrate the new year in style usually go for holidays in cities such as Amsterdam, Paris or Madrid, while skiing enthusiasts generally pick resorts in France, Austria and Italy the most, Ms Tuke explained.

"Of course you find a lot of people going away to be with friends and family who are nationals of other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, America - they're all popular for those reasons," she commented.

Sean Tipton of ABTA recently explained that popular shopping destinations in the run-up to the festive period include countries that are home to numerous Christmas markets and big cities such as New York.

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