A new report into internet usage has revealed that over fifty per cent of people who use the internet have booked holidays online.

Beach holidays are the most popular with online shoppers, followed by long haul holidays and cruise holidays.

The research by Neilsen/Net Ratings found that only seven per sent of people surveyed booked holidays on the high street and just one per cent book through Teletext.

Recommendations from friends influence almost half of all people who book a holiday online and a third of those surveyed said they read travel articles in magazines and newsletters for holiday ideas.

Mike Teasdale, planning director at Harvest Digital who commissioned the report, said: “Obviously offline media still has a vital role to play in the marketing mix, but once an online consumer is interested in a specific destination or holiday, they use the Internet to research and buy.”

Two thirds of online shoppers book two or three holidays a year and one quarter take more than three holidays a year.