Summer holiday exodus to begin this weekend

Ferry crossings will be particularly busy this weekend as the school summer holiday season officially gets underway.

The majority of schools across the UK will break up tomorrow (July 23rd), prompting some 1.9 million people to set off on their breaks between July 23rd and 26th, according to Abta - The Travel Association.

Hundreds of thousands of people are set to begin their holidays by travelling over or under the channel, Abta revealed, with ferries to France among the options that are likely to be popular.

Spain remains the number one destination for UK holidaymakers, with destinations on the mainland proving popular along with the Canary and the Balearic islands.

One way for travellers to reach the country is by taking ferries from Portsmouth to Santander with Brittany Ferries, while P&O serves the Portsmouth to Bilbao ferry route.

Balearia and Acciona offer crossings from the mainland to the islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.

Abta chairman John McEwan 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 [their] resort and head for local restaurants and bars."

Posted by Andrew Smith