The card provider found travel spend rose 87.3% last month compared with November, while transaction value increased 67.9%. Barclays also found expenditure with airlines rose 62.4%, with spend increasing 37.9%. Sales to UK hotels, resorts and accommodation rose 8.2%, with value up 6.2%.

Monthly data is sourced from Barclays’ credit and debit card spend, which comprises “nearly half” of the nation’s transactions, plus non-card payments like direct debits. The latest figures were gathered in the period 16-20 December.

An encouraging sign for retail agents is that face-to-face transactions in December across all sectors rose 7.5% compared with the previous month, with online sales rising only 0.5%. The value of the latter fell 3.7%, but in-person sales rose more than 6%.

Barclays director Esme Harwood said: “The retail, travel and hospitality sectors all saw noticeable growth in December.”

She added: “It’s worth noting that these figures look more positive in comparison to December 2021, as the spread of Omicron kept Brits away from high streets and hospitality venues. It seems this year shoppers returned to the high street to make the most of the festive period despite the cost-of-living challenges.”  

However, she acknowledged postal strikes had “hampered online retail due to fears of missing pre-Christmas delivery dates”, which may have skewed retail data.

The survey also revealed ongoing concerns about cost-of-living. The percentage of Britons reporting worries about rising food prices was 91%, with 65% saying they had looked for ways to reduce the cost of their weekly shop – only a marginal reduction compared to November’s 69%.

Nearly half of these shoppers (49%) are buying budget or own-brand goods instead of branded goods, and 28% are only buying items that are discounted or on offer.

The figures show the impact of rising household fuel bills, with a 40% rise in this expenditure for the second consecutive month. Barclays found 62% had found ways to save energy at home, with half saying they avoided using central heating unless “absolutely necessary”.