The Great Easter Bank Holiday Getaway

ABTA ? The Travel Association estimates 1.6 million British holidaymakers are set to head overseas over the Easter Bank holiday weekend of April 18 - 21.

Spain is the UK?s favourite foreign holiday destination over the weekend, with the Canary and Balearic Islands the most popular areas. Turkey and Tunisia have also sold well as people look to catch some spring sunshine.

Daytime temperatures this weekend are set to reach 23C in Mallorca, 34C in Tunisia, 26C in Turkey and 30C in Florida, the most popular long haul destination with its wealth of great beaches and amusement parks. Weather in the Canaries is expected to hit 25C, with mild breezes and ample sunshine forecast for the Prime Minister?s family break in Lanzarote. 

Foreign city breaks are popular at this time of the year with the weather being comfortable and the streets less crowded. Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam, Rome and New York are the top five choices. 

Bookings for UK breaks are also healthy with many customers travelling to traditional sea side resorts, national parks and holiday camps.

Airports are reporting good numbers: 370,000 will leave from Heathrow, 200,000 from Gatwick, 120,000 from Stansted, 60,000 from Luton and 4,500 from Bournemouth.  

From the North and the Midlands, 110,000 will leave from Manchester airport, 45,000 from Birmingham and 23,000 from East Midlands and over 100,000 will be leaving via the Scottish airports.

Other regional airports, ferry terminals and the channel tunnel will also be extremely busy over the weekend and Eurostar is reporting that 60,000 will be departing the UK. 

Mark Tanzer ABTA Chief Executive said: ?The Easter bank holiday is very late this year which means the weather in some of our favourite holiday destinations is looking particularly good with some very high temperatures.  I am delighted to see that so many people are taking the opportunity to take a well-earned break.?