THE airline operating the biggest network of routes from Belfast City Airport claims that low fare airlines are revolutionising holiday taking.
According to new research by flybe, a quarter of UK consumers are taking two or more holidays a year and five per cent are taking four or more trips.
The poll of 1,000 people on behalf of flybe last month reveals that 24 per cent of people took a city break in the last year against only one in seven
five years ago.
One in six have been on an activity holiday, a rise of 50 per cent on five years ago, one in 10 have taken a 'party holiday' in the past year and six
per cent have been on shopping holiday trips.
The flybe research also shows that rather than saving up for a single holiday, 64 per cent of people mix value and luxury holidays, saving on some
so they can splash out on others and enjoy frequent breaks.
Only one in six return to the same destination agains and again, while 24 per cent believe there are now so many places to see to ever justify going
to the same place twice.
But the poll also found that two thirds still like to bundle all their costs into a package for their main annual holiday and 16 per cent choose to
return to a familiar place.
Thirteen per cent of people have now visited 20 or more countries in their lifetime - double the number from five years ago - and a third (32 per cent)
have visited more than 10 countries. Meanwhile, five per cent have visited more than 30 countries.
Flybe Marketing Director Mike Rutter said: "Holidays used to mean two weeks of seas and sun taken in July or August, often somewhere we'd been time and time before.
"But low air fares have revolutionised this narrow holiday mentality. Flying is no longer considered an expensive luxury - it's now a leisure activity
that can be indulged in regularly."Now every month is a potential holiday month and we're looking to fill our
year with different breaks to cater to different needs - from romantic holidays to cultural city breaks and even hobby holidays."
He added: "The last decade has seen a seismic shift in travel patterns. With flying now as cheap and convenient as any other mode of travelling we've
become a nation of experienced travellers rather than unadventurous holidaymakers and want to see more of the world more frequently."