Luxury honeymoons 'becoming more popular'

More and more Britons are choosing to splash out on their honeymoon with a holiday to an exotic destination, it has emerged.

According to the Western Mail, new figures from the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) show that for loved-up couples, an everyday package tour is no longer enough and a far-flung adventure is a more romantic way to celebrate a new marriage.

A combination of the internet and cheap flights means that only 35 per cent of this year's package holidays will be short-haul, with most honeymooners choosing the Seychelles, Bali and the Maldives.

Abta spokesperson Francis Tuke said: "The tour operators have looked at new markets. The way packages work now can be radically different from the idea people have in their heads."

Steven Freudmann, chair of the Institute of Travel and Tourism, also pointed to a growth in luxury holidays.

"For honeymoons, again long-haul is the growth area. They tend to go for the romantic destinations," he said.

In related news, Maldives president Mauman Abdul Gayoom has said that steeper cuts in greenhouse gas emissions are needed, but maintained that the country will not cut back on tourism, reports Reuters.

The Maldives are at severe risk from sea level rises due to their low-lying land.