Brits flock to sizzling Spain as they swap freezing home Christmas for 30C heat

Brits are saying "adios" to a cold Christmas at home and jetting off for a sizzling Santa-fest in 30C Spain.

Travel agents say bookings for festive getaways have rocketed 44% since the UK's No1 holiday hotspot has been gripped by an unseasonal record heatwave.

Revellers fed up with Christmas shopping in torrential rain, freezing temperatures and storm-force gales have started a festive fly-away for some Santa sun.

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While brollies and boots have been must-have accessories for Christmas bashes across sodden Britain it has been bikinis for party-goers in Spain.

The temperature in Malaga hit 85.5F (29.9C) on Tuesday – the hottest December day on record.

Some places are expected to get even hotter as a mass of hot air sweeps over the Iberian peninsula.

The previous best was 84F recorded in Grenada 13 years ago.

Ruben del Campo, a spokesman for Spain's national weather agency AEMET, said: "It's one of the warmest masses of air to have ever overflown Spain at this point in December.''

The heatwave – the country's fourth this year – could go on for weeks with little rain forecast before February.

Visitors to Spain's ski resorts have complained of a lack of snow.

Drought conditions are becoming so bad that Barcelona – which has recorded 37 months of below-average rainfall – is considering shipping in emergency water supplies.

Fines could even be introduced for tourists who drink too much water.

But the prospect of a flaming festive season has prompted a Brit exodus to the sunshine.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive officer of The Advantage Travel Partnership, told the Daily Star: "Brits are once again showing a strong desire to travel over the Christmas period.

"Collectively, across our UK-wide travel agency partnership, we are seeing bookings departing from December 18 to 28 up by 44% compared to the same period last year.

"People are still very much looking to catch up on missed trips from the Covid years.

"Since the beginning of October 30% of all bookings made have been for travel over the Christmas period, telling us that waiting until the last minute or possibly making impulsive purchases, investing in new experiences and making memories are important factors.

"We are also seeing that in many cases people are looking to invest more in their holidays by travelling for longer periods with the average stay being eight nights.

"Whilst people are looking to make the most of their holidays this winter, they are also seeking ways to travel that are also cost-effective which is evident in the continued high demand for all-inclusive holidays, which currently represents a 32% share of all Christmas departures.

"It is clear that Brits are looking to seize the chance of escaping the gloomy UK weather in search of sunshine with the top destinations being Canaries and mainland Spain.

"Ultimately these Christmas trends are really encouraging for the UK outbound travel industry.

"The wide range of trips that are being booked shows that increasingly Brits for whatever reason they choose to travel are placing an even higher importance on getting away.''

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