'Negligible fares' boost appeal of ferry trips

Stag parties looking to venture outside the UK without breaking the bank in the coming months might consider ditching expensive flights in favour of alternative transport.

According to Martin Fletcher of the Times newspaper, increasing numbers of British tourists are choosing to reach their holiday destination by boat.

He revealed that more than 735,000 passengers opted to make the trip to the port of Dover in January to travel overseas by ferry, an increase of 14 per cent on the same month's figures in 2008.

Ferry companies have attributed the growing number of travellers to several factors, with Britons looking to take cheaper holidays and avoid "low-cost airlines that are no longer low cost".

People planning a stag do might seek to take advantage of heavily discounted ferry prices to reach their destination, with the "negligible" fares likely to leave plenty of funds left over for a night on the town once they get there.

According to Mark Bower, lifestyle sales director at lastminute.com, most Brits are still determined to enjoy their leisure time and get away this year, with people becoming "fed up" of the economic doom and gloom.