Go to great lengths

Many retired people could be tempted to flee the UK winter and settle for sunnier climes abroad, where they can live on a fraction of their usual budget, says a leading tour operator.

According to Thomas Cook, a growing number of older Britons are realising the attraction of long-stay deals during the winter months and secure packages costing little more than £10 per day.

The tour operator says demand for long stays away has increased as UK winters have become chillier: savvy sun-lovers have already packed their bags for Tunisia where a 52-night half-board holiday in a three-star hotel could lost as little as £487 – just £9.55 a day.

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With soaring energy and food bills in the UK, this means that going to Tunisia can actually save money for some lucky folk who have to heat large houses at home.

Long-stay holidays with Thomas Cook range from a month up to 84 days: Thomas Cook adult-style breaks at the four-star Caruso Palace Hotel in Port el Kantaoui, Tunisia, leaving Birmingham tomorrow, for example, started at £860, fractionally more than £10 per night.

There was an even wider choice for long stays in Spain and the Canaries: Thomas Cook had a £997 lead-in on 46 nights’ full-board at three-star Hotel Helios in Benidorm if you left Manchester on New Year’s Day.

Airtours, meanwhile, had a 52-night half-board stay from £497 at the three-star Residence Golf Hotel, Port el Kantaoui, from Manchester last week.

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Under the Airtours brand, you could have booked 33-night half-board stays at three-star Miramar Hotel, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, from £837 (£25 per person per night), leaving Manchester tomorrow.

Cruise lines may be looking to tap into the same market: when Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ (CMV) Marco Polo sailed from Tilbury two days ago, she began a 42-night voyage to the Amazon and the West Indies that started at £1,999 for a standard twin inner cabin.

Passengers on the Marco Polo paid from £48 per night for full board, entertainment, guest speakers, craft classes and more, as the ship makes eight stops alone on the Amazon River where excursions in motorised canoes search out the local cayman, a relative of the alligator which grows up to 15 ft long.

Although some longer breaks may already have started, careful online searches or discussions with travel agents may reveal some bargains still waiting to be had.

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