Britons go on drive-and-sail holidays

Travel trends: 8 April 2008

British consumers are increasingly shunning short-haul flights in favour of ferries, it has been claimed.

According to Dover Harbour Board, nearly three million holidaymakers went on drive-and-sail holidays from the port last year.

This is the highest figure since 1999 and has been attributed to various issues within the aviation industry.

Bob Goldfield, chief executive of the board, said consumers are dissatisfied with the various delays they have endured in the past, along with airport taxes.

He added that the port is now planning to boost its capacity in order to cope with a further increase in the number of people passing through.

Mr Goldfield commented: "We are poised to realise our longer-term investment aspirations to develop the port to capitalise on this growth."

The news comes shortly after the opening of Heathrow Airport's new Terminal 5, which has been dogged by major technical issues and hundreds of flight cancellations in the last week.

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