Travellers worried by risks

Holiday company failures have led to 20 per cent of people being less confident about travelling than a year ago, it was revealed today.

But despite the concerns, 84 per cent of people plan a break away over the next 12 months, a survey by Post Office Travel Insurance found.

As many as 40 per cent of the 2,000 people polled said travel firms going out of business was a worry, while 35 per cent were concerned about airline and airport strikes. Also, a total of 30 per cent were worried about extreme events such as earthquakes or volcanic ash clouds.

Of those planning to book a trip, 39 per cent were looking to take a break in the UK. The next most popular type of holiday was a city break, ahead of all-inclusive packages and an independently-planned holiday.

Post Office Travel Insurance head Rachel Croft said: "It is encouraging to see that consumers have become more aware of the risks and are more likely to take the appropriate precautions."