A STUDY has revealed that just under half of York respondents were taking a staycation to visit another Christmas market.

Travelodge found that 43 per cent of York residents were taking a staycation this festive season, each trip costing an average of £196.34.

These findings have been revealed in Travelodge’s travel index which surveyed 2,000 British adults on their holiday plans for this festive season.

Key findings from the study revealed that 46 per cent of York respondents were taking a break to visit another UK Christmas market, with London, Manchester and Edinburgh being the most popular cities.

A fifth of adults in York were taking a break to get them into the festive mood, with a quarter reporting that taking a break this time of year was an annual tradition.

More than half (59 per cent) of people in York are taking their break before Christmas Day, with 43 per cent spending their break on Christmas Day itself.

Half were going away between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve, and 20 per cent reported they were taking their staycation to celebrate the New Year.

Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge Spokesperson said: "This growing trend is great news for the UK hospitality sector, as all we want for Christmas is for Britons to be exploring what makes Britain so Great during the holly, jolly Christmas season.

"We have seen a significant rise in festive Travelodge bookings this year, especially for UK cities, such as York, and major towns that are hosting a Christmas market."

The most popular rural staycation locations were Lake District, The Cotswolds and the Peak District, and Cornwall, Devon and Brighton were the most popular coastal locations.