The Holiday Habits Report 2016 showed that 86% of respondents took a holiday at home or abroad, compared with 77% in 2015.

This was the largest proportion of the UK population taking a holiday since 2011, Abta claimed. The average number of holidays taken per person, per year, also increased slightly, from 3.2 holidays last year to 3.4 holidays this year.

More than half the population (56%) took a holiday abroad in the last year, a slight increase from 54% in 2015. The report found millennials and baby boomers were fuelling the general increase in holidays overseas, with 25 to 34-year olds and 55 to 64-year-olds being the most likely age groups to take more than four foreign holidays a year.

Meanwhile, after a steady decrease since 2013, the proportion of people taking a UK holiday was found to have increased this year to 71%, up from 64% the previous year.

Abta said this signalled a return to the numbers seen during the Olympic Games summer of 2012. Young families with at least one child under five took the most UK holidays, with more than a quarter (26%) taking more than four domestic holidays last year.

The report also found that almost 24% of people plan to spend more on holidays next year with just 16% stating they will spend less.

These numbers are broadly in line with 2015 when 23% planned to spend more and 15% planned to spend less. Mark Tanzer, Abta chief executive, said: “British holidaymakers value their holidays immensely and it is heartening to see that holidays are still a priority for most people, despite the high-profile events both overseas and here in the UK over the past 12 months.

“Looking ahead to 2017, our research suggests a continued positive outlook towards holiday taking next year, although I would add a note of caution given the uncertainties that still lie ahead for the UK economy around the government’s Brexit negotiations.”