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Traffic through the main airports will be very busy with 440,000 leaving from Heathrow, 250,000 from Gatwick, 139,000 from Stansted, 150,00 from Manchester, 65,000 from Birmingham, and 65,000 from Luton.  127,000 will leave from the main Scottish airports, Edinburgh and Glasgow. In addition hundreds of thousands will be heading out through regional airports and over or under the channel.

Top destinations for short haul include Turkey, Greece, Egypt, the Canary and Balearic islands and mainland Spain.  Long haul destinations Dubai and Florida are also popular.

The pound offers better value against the Euro than last year and if you haven’t booked yet there is still availability and excellent deals on offer in our traditional Eurozone favourites. The recession has also caused many restaurants and bars in the Eurozone to lower their prices, making days and nights out that bit cheaper.

Spain is still our number one destination with the Balearic Islands selling well. Turkey and Egypt have seen significant growth and the USA has performed better than many of its competitors. All inclusive holidays are proving especially popular with families looking to control budgets. 

John McEwan, ABTA Chairman said: “I am delighted to see hundreds of thousands of us heading overseas this weekend, the traditional curtain raiser to the summer season. With prices having fallen in the Eurozone and an improved exchange rate on last year, holidaymakers will get a pleasant surprise when they arrive in resort and head for local restaurants and bars”
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21 July 2010

For further information contact:
Sean Tipton, Senior Press Officer, tel: 020 3117 0513,
Frances Tuke, Public Relations Manager, tel: 020 3117 0514, Mobile 07850 712 325,
John deVial, Head of Communications, tel: 020 3117 0515
Out of Hours:  Contact the Duty Press Officer via pager: 07659 190 987
E-mail: press@abta.co.uk
Web: www.abta.com
 
Notes to Editors
Ascent-MI Leisure Travel Monitor is uniquely designed by Ascent –MI Ltd for the ex-UK leisure market and is created in partnership with the UK travel industry providing  forward booking market intelligence for travel bookings made through both the high street and direct channels (web and call centres).
ABTA – The Travel Association was founded in 1950 and currently has 1,351 members with 5,700 outlets. Members include travel agents, tour operators and support services right across the spectrum from small family-owned businesses to the largest tour operators. 

ABTA is the largest travel association in the UK and its members provide 90% of the foreign package holidays in the UK as well as selling millions of independent travel arrangements. 

In 2008 ABTA merged with the Federation of Tour Operators [FTO], thereby cementing its role as the leading travel association and increasing benefits for both ABTA and FTO members. Both the ABTA brand which is highly recognised by consumers and the FTO brand which is well known in destinations will be retained.

As part of its comprehensive package of services to members, ABTA, as a non-party political organisation works to represent the interests of its Members to government and key opinion formers in the UK and EU.