Frugal Britons save money on their holidays

Britons wary of falling into debt saved money on their holidays last year by booking directly, research has shown.

A study by Santander Cards has revealed that a collective £4.92 billion was saved as the public tightened their belts.

An average of £423 was conserved by people either booking online, over the phone or by staying with friends – cutting out the costs of travel agents and tour operators – 3.3 million of which claimed to have maintained over £500.

Emma Roberts, director of Santander Cards, said: “It’s not surprising that in the current climate, holidaymakers are increasingly looking for value and are prepared to do the homework themselves”.

Around 25 million UK adults went on holiday in 2009, 11.6 million of which – nearly half – saved money when booking their travel and accommodation.

The news follows a recent report carried out by LV= that found over three-quarters of parents were being especially thrifty with their family finances in light of the current economic situation.

By Joe Shervin