Struggling skiers head to Sydney

Sydney and Melbourne are becoming ideal choices for holiday breaks for Britons unable to indulge in skiing, according to recent reports.

A new survey has found that the Australian cities are reaping the benefits of a snowless European winter, as many winter sports enthusiasts are snubbing the slopes and heading to the sunny shores Down Under.

Buoyed by the ill-fated attempts of the English cricket team to retain the Ashes, millions of Britons have been heading on long-haul breaks over Christmas and New Year, but in Europe ski resorts such as Meribel and Val D'Isere have not seemed so attractive.

Nevertheless, experts claim the lack of snowfall is not set to last and many cheap deals can be found in the first few months of the year.

And a survey of the top five destinations for British tourists over Christmas and New Year include old favourites such as Paris and Dublin in among the long-haul holiday locations of Dubai, Sydney and New York.

Other European destinations such as the beautiful city of Prague are also faring well, as the city continues to improve on its 3.7 million tourists each year.