United kingdom Daily news: UK weather: Heavy rain and bad weather cause 20% increase in Britons booking sunshine holidays

Kamis, 05 Juli 2012

UK weather: Heavy rain and bad weather cause 20% increase in Britons booking sunshine holidays

UK weather: Heavy rain and bad weather cause 20% increase in Britons booking sunshine holidays

By Travelmail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 07:09 EST, 5 July 2012 | UPDATED: 07:11 EST, 5 July 2012

With April to June officially declared the wettest on record, it should come as no surprise to learn that Britons are flocking online to look for last-minute sunshine breaks abroad.

Tour operator Thomson has reported a 20 per cent increase in holiday searches compared to the same period last year, while online travel agent On the Beach reported a 20 per cent rise in sales of holidays to destinations across Europe over the past couple of weeks.

The Eurozone has been particularly popular with those looking for holidays, with Spain and the Balearics leading the way, followed by Greece, where prices have been low due to the ongoing economic crisis.

Beach break: Tour operators have seen a 20 per cent in crease in the number of people looking to book sunshine holidays

Tunisia and Morocco have also been popular due to their favourable climates.

Nathan Timmins, head of online marketing for Thomson, said: 'The constant rain is driving all of us around the bend, so itâ€™s no wonder that so many people are looking to head off to get some sunshine.

'As the Mediterranean enjoys temperatures in the late 20s and early 30s weâ€™ve barely seen any sunshine this summer.

'Over the last month the Balearics, Spain, Greece, Tunisia and Morocco have proved popular as Brits look to escape to sandy beaches, beautiful weather and resorts that they know and love.'

Victoria Bacon, head of communication at ABTA, said: 'The UK is a beautiful country with exceptional holiday appeal but the weather this year has been setting records for all the wrong reasons and it is no surprise that millions of us are looking to head off overseas for more reliable weather and high temperatures.

'British holidaymakers will also get a pleasant surprise in their favourite Eurozone destinations with the pound 10 per cent stronger than last year.

'Itâ€™s important that people book sooner rather than later as late offers are proving popular.'

Washout: Wet weather has been hitting parts of the UK, causing floods, with worse to come, according to forecasters

Another deluge of rain is on the way, with at least a month's worth of rain set to fall today and tomorrow across much of Britain, according to forecasters.

The Met Office last night issued a severe weather warning, predicting 'heavy thundery downpours' and up to four inches of rain by the weekend â€" more than the average for the whole of July.

Northern and eastern England and Scotland will see the worst of the rain today, but it is set to extend to central and southern areas tomorrow, threatening men's semi-final day at Wimbledon.

Met Office chief forecaster Martin Young said: 'We are expecting outbreaks of heavy rain across a wide area of the UK, with worst affected spots likely to be in central and northern parts of the country.

'This is likely to lead to surface water flooding. The public should be prepared for disruption to travel and outdoor activities.'

An Environment Agency spokesman aded: 'Heavy rain on Friday an d Saturday may lead to significant flooding of properties across parts of northern England.

'We urge people to remain vigilant and prepared for flooding by checking the Environment Agency website and signing up for localised river flood warnings.'