Lovers go for luxury Valentine's getaways

Lovers are increasingly going for luxury Valentine's getaways this year, new research shows.

LowCostHolidays.com reports bookings for five-star breaks are up 17 per cent on last year, with a 12 per cent rise recorded in four-star accommodation bookings.

And more people are celebrating Valentine's Day overseas this year compared with last year too - up 18 per cent on 2006's levels.

The romantic hotspot getting the highest increase in visitors is the Moroccan city of Marrakech, with bookings up 41 per cent since last year.

Also proving popular is Barbados in the Caribbean, Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, Cyprus and Dubai.

"The week over Valentine's weekend has been one of our busiest on record as couples decide to escape the harsh winter weather and enjoy some romance in the sun," commented Paul Evans, LowCostHolidays chief executive.

He added: "What also seems to be happening here is that more people are opting for short breaks in sun destinations and moving away from the typical city break holiday."