Holidays

Going on holiday is gauged by what we can afford and for the traveller it is about where to go.

The appetite for holidays abroad has not waned because of the recession, but it has made us think about what we want from a well-earned break.

Europe, in particular popular destinations such as Spain and Greece, are not a “cheap option”

at present as a result of a less favourable exchange rate with the Euro.

But could the focus on holidays closer to home not only boost the tourist industry in the UK, but actually be a conscious attempt to explore parts of Britain that we have ignored and yet which offer natural beauty.

Climate will always be a consideration because constant heat and sunshine is an attraction for many of us, but the notion of the stress-free, “cheap” holiday may be destined for past memories if, indeed, holidays can ever be without some anxiety.

It is a case that affordability dictates whether we can leave these shores or not, or is what we have known as the package holiday becoming a thing of the past?

Bernie Walsh, Coxhoe, Durham.