Britons are increasingly viewing holidays as an essential part of their lives rather than as luxuries, it has been claimed.

With UK employees now working longer hours and paying more taxes, Britons are determined to take a holiday in order to have a break from the daily grind, the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) said.

Indeed, this trend seems to be borne out by figures from Mintel, which show that overseas holiday spending rose by 28 per cent in 2006.

"A holiday is one thing we will take, come hell or high water," a spokesperson for AITO said.

"People might be trimming themselves back on taking a number of holidays, but I think it's fair to say that they are still taking their lengthy overseas holiday."

Nearly six in ten Britons take at least one holiday a year, according to recent research by Ciao Surveys.

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