More than one in four (26 per cent) Brits – a total of 13 million – are planning an overnight trip in the UK during the Christmas and New Year period, providing the economy with an estimated £2.6bn boost.

The figures come from VisitEngland’s Christmas Trip Tracker Survey and show a marked increase on last year’s figure of 10.3 million people (20 per cent).

The unexpected increase has been attributed partly to the collapse in the value of the pound – caused by the government's chaotic Brexit negotiations – which has made foreign travel more expensive for Brits.

The survey also shows that people plan to spend their money locally, with eating out (43 per cent) and visiting a local Christmas market (31 per cent) at the top of the 'to do' lists.

“It is great that so many of us are planning to take a domestic trip during the festive period, boosting the UK economy through tourism," said VisitEngland director Patricia Yates.

Tourism is worth an estimated £127bn annually to the UK economy.