There has been a 13 per cent uptick in the number of searches made by British consumers which relate to travel and associated activities, according to the latest stats from Hitwise.

Some specific operators are seeing bigger boosts in activity than others, with Travelodge enjoying a 36 per cent rise in visitors to its website in the first quarter of 2018.

Analysts argue that this is not just about an eagerness among Brits to take advantage of safe shopping online and book holidays during the most dreary part of the year, but also thanks to new digital initiatives and offers being provided by hotel chains and travel sites alike.

At the other end of the spectrum from Travelodge in terms of cost, the study revealed that operators which play host to high end packages which put luxury at the top of the agenda are also seeing more searches targeting them at the moment. A 16 per cent growth in people looking for top tier breaks and also international cruise holidays was recorded.

This suggests that although spending has been squeezed by the weakening economy and the spectre of Brexit, people in the UK are still keen to take advantage of safe shopping online and make sure they fix their travel plans in place sooner rather than later.

How the travel market will be impacted once Britain officially leaves the EU next year remains to be seen. And the chances of increased disruption at borders could compromise the stability of the market after this point.

For the time being, it might be the case that consumers are booking holidays for 2018 to take advantage of the current regulations before Brexit arrives, which would explain why searches have been growing so far this year.