ABTA – The Travel Association is giving its top ten essential travel tips to help Brits enjoy a hassle free holiday as the great summer exodus gets into full swing.

ABTA expects 14 million Brits to holiday overseas between July and September. For those who haven’t already booked, it’s not too late, with availability in Mallorca, Turkey and the Canary Islands. As always if you’ve left it late the more flexible you can be, the better your chances of securing a good deal.

*  Check your passport in plenty of time – Avoid the extra expense of having to fast track your passport renewal by checking it’s expiry date long before you travel, also remember that if you’re travelling outside of Europe many countries require you to have six months validity after your departure date, if you don’t you may be refused entry.

*  Weigh your luggage – It can be very easy to go over your airline’s baggage allowance, so to avoid an expensive supplement at the airport weigh your bags before you leave home.

*  Let your bank know you’re heading overseas – banks are always on the look- out for fraudulent transactions so if they don’t know when or where you’re overseas they will often block your card.

*  Be careful what you bring back – If you’re travelling outside of Europe it is often illegal for you to bring back food stuffs - see the full list of what you can and cannot bring back.

*  Make your drinks last longer – spirit measures overseas are generally much more generous than in the UK, so save money and your liver by asking for a mixer rather than more alcohol.

*  Buy travel insurance – Avoid the possibility of sky high medical bills by taking out travel insurance. Did you know treatment for a broken leg in the US costs around £44,000?

*  Get vaccinated – If you’re travelling outside of Western Europe, North America or Australasia there are some nasty but preventable diseases you might catch, so go and see a medical professional to get all the necessary jabs.

*  Lunch like the locals – Ever wondered why between one and three in the afternoon all the lovely tanned locals disappear from the beach leaving us Brits on our own? It’s because the sun is too strong and they go and have a leisurely lunch in the shade. So avoid the red lobster look and go and join them!

*  Learn how to say a few words in the local language - it won’t take long and it will be greatly appreciated.

*  Learn travel tips before you go.