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holidays

Honeymooners spend more

SPENDING on honeymoons has doubled since the late 1990s.

Couples are likely to splash out £922 million on honeymoons in 2006 - twice the amount spent in 1998, said hotels.com.

Much of the rise is being driven by people getting married later and having more disposable income, the company added.

Couples are set to spend on average £2,963 on their honeymoons in 2006, with the average age for getting married now being 29 for women and 31 for men.

Alison Couper, of Hotels.com, said: "As couples are marrying for the first time later in life, they will more likely already be fairly experienced travellers, looking for that extra special place when it comes to their honeymoon. They also have more money to spend on that romantic break.

"The increased spending has driven a rise in more exotic locations such as Mozambique and the Indian Ocean islands, while Sri Lanka has also shown a recovery. That said, the traditionally romantic destinations, such as Italy's Amalfi coast, as well as the Caribbean, remain popular."

Destinations that recorded growth of over 200% in UK honeymooners last year, include the Maldives, Fiji, Oman, Belize, Iceland and Peru.