The number of Britons buying holiday homes abroad is set to double over the next five to seven years, it has been revealed.

At present around 1.4 million people own a second home overseas, with next April's changes in the pensions' regulations likely to lead to more purchases, according to a report from property company Avanti International Developments.

The current value of UK overseas property ownership is around £23 billion, Avanti said in a presentation today at the Association of British Travel Agents' annual convention in Marrakech, Morocco.

Convention delegates were told:

:: Between 2003 and 2004, the number of UK families owning a second property abroad increased by 20%;

:: 54,000 people moved from the UK to Spain last year;

:: Emigration to Spain represents 15% of UK outbound emigration in total;

:: 30% of all Britons who re-located abroad last year were over 60 years old;

:: Many travel agents are also becoming estate agents by putting interested clients in touch with overseas property companies.

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