Tour operators in the UK are reporting a surprising upturn in bookings to sunnier destinations thanks to the disappointing summer that has so far been experienced at home.

Weather forecasters were predicting an odds-on chance of a sunny summer back in April but Britons who were planning local holidays to beat recessionary travel budgets have experienced nothing but rain.

With the traditional long weekends that bookend August looming families are despairing on where to take the kids before the summer holidays are over,  and Peter Constati, CEO of mainstream travel at Thomas Cook, suggests going abroad.

“The summer holidays have only just started and today’s weather update will send many parents into despair as there are still five long weeks before school starts again. Rather than worry about how to fill these long wet days in the UK, our advice is to book a holiday with guaranteed sunshine.”

A weak pound and recession have hurt people’s travel wallet this year and the industry was predicting a bumper season for the local industry as many Britons opt to take their annual hols at home. But the typically fickle British weather has let the side down. As a result operators are noting an increase in last minute bookings on packages to the Canaries and Balearics among other sunny destinations.