Travellers 'eager to get away over Xmas'

Regular holidaymakers are so eager to escape the stress of Christmas at home that they would rather spend the holiday in a foreign hotel than visit their family, according to research.

A poll of 1,500 members of online travel community TripAdvisor found that 75 per cent of people would prefer to stay in a hotel overseas than visit their family at Christmas.

Over a third of the survey respondents said they were planning a festive holiday this year, the same amount as in 2006.

The Caribbean was found to be the most desirable location for people who want to get away over Christmas, followed by Hawaii and Paris, with New York City and the Maldives rounding off the top five.

London also appeared in the list of popular getaway destinations, along with Tahiti and Thailand.

Michele Perry, director of communications for TripAdvisor, said: "The holidays are for spending time with family, but it appears many travellers want that quality time in moderation."