Long-Haul Holidays offer "something special" and "make an impact" on people, a travel expert has said.

Kate Kenward, executive director at the Association of Independent Tour Operators, was giving her own personal view of why Long-Haul Holidays appear to be increasingly popular.

She suggested that individuals who are taking a gap year, either from university or employment, particularly seem to enjoy long-distance travel.

Ms Kenward commented: "A long-haul holiday is on everybody's wish list and holidays now are more of a necessity than a luxury."

According to the Royal Mail group's Post Office Holiday Costs Barometer published earlier this month, Kenya could be the surprise success of 2009.

The same study found that Thailand is currently the cheapest travel destination for Britons and is significantly lower in cost than all of the eurozone countries.

After Thailand comes South Africa in terms of cheapest holiday destination, as sterling remains stronger there than it was a year ago.