Every single person in the UK will enjoy two foreign holidays a year by 2010 as the number of British holidaymakers travelling abroad is set to double in less than 10 years, according to a new report released by Expedia.co.uk. 

(Caption: Dermot Halpin

, managing director of Expedia.co.uk)
We will pack our suitcases for an incredible 117 million holidays, compared to 59 million in 2001 - the first time the entire population averaged one foreign holiday.  In comparison, just 60% of French people holiday each year (80% of those within France itself) and just 22% of Americans use a passport .

A new report, “Generation Jet Set” published by the UK’s leading online travel service Expedia.co.uk

, is an analysis of British holiday habits past, present and future, from the first package holidays in 1950 to 21st century space tourism.  The report reveals how the travel industry has developed and shaped the British holiday experience, from where we go to how we get there.  Key findings show that by 2010 going on holiday will be very different:

- two weeks of Mediterranean summer sun will no longer be the focal point of our annual holiday experiences as we embark on several holidays a year ?Ecity breaks, activity holidays and spontaneous getaways will see unprecedented growth over the next decade

- traditional 7, 10 or 14 night holidays will have been replaced by much more flexible ‘build your own?Epackages booked over the Internet and on interactive TV

- half the population of the UK will visit Spain

- Cyprus will be the latest new entry in the Top 10 destinations chart 6 million of us will visit resorts such as Ayia Napa throughout the year

“no frills trans-Atlantic flights will lead to a 135% increase in visitors to the US and half of the up and coming destinations outside the Top 10 are long haul

phrasebooks will be a thing of the past the Lingua Trekka translation suit, developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, uses speech recognition software to instantly translate spoken language

space tourism will be a reality for the world’s richest people

Dermot Halpin

, managing director of Expedia.co.uk, said: “This report shows how travel and foreign destinations have become much more affordable and accessible over the last 50 years.  The number of British people going on holiday will continue to grow exponentially.  By 2010 many of us will think nothing of popping off on holiday three, four or five times a year”.

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