IF it came down to holidaying in Egypt or England this half-term, most people would think you crazy if you opted for the sunnier, pyramid-studded option. Sure, you'd return with a suntan and a few souvenirs, but how on earth would your bank account – and great-grandchildren – ever forgive you?

In times of fitful finance such as these, it's the small luxuries that get the chop in an effort to slash costs.

But you needn't cut holidays out of your life altogether. Instead, why not join the growing number of Britons who are choosing tipis in Cornwall over safaris in Tanzania, and saving both money and carbon in the long term?

Hand-picked holiday specialists responsibletravel.com and online camping directory Go Camping UK have noted a surge in the number of people embarking on UK-based holidays.

Whether it's a few days at a rural, organic farmstay or a caravanning jaunt to Scotland, this holiday trend doesn't look like it's going out of fashion any time soon.

"Consumers are definitely now more aware of climate change, and with the increase in fuel costs, people are also opting to fly less," said Krissy Roe of responsibletravel.com.

The company has seen a 25 per cent jump in revenues from last year and a 113 per cent surge in UK-based holiday interest.

"We're also seeing the weakness of the pound against foreign currencies - which means people are more apprehensive about holidaying abroad."

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX:

You may have traded the grey October skies of the UK for a quick, half-term break in Malaga in the past, but it's probably out of the question in this financial climate.

But just because you used to take time away doesn't mean you have to now mope around the house – it just means changing your point of view.

While a two-week holiday in Malaga could cost a family of four up to £3,000 for travel, accommodation and transfers, camping in Devon would set the same family back around £17 per night, a total of £242 plus travel costs for a fortnight.

While camping in the colder winter months might not seem like such a grand idea, you can always book ahead for next year.

"Last year was phenomenal in terms of new campers and it's a trend we expect to continue," says Ruth Walmsley of the not-for-profit Camping and Caravanning Club, which has opened 11 new campsites in just the past three years.

"We've noticed that the types of people using our club site has changed - mostly it used to be over-60s who would go camping, but now the vast majority are in their late 40s joining to get their families on camping holidays."

Denise Peet, co-founder of Go Camping UK has also noticed the trend.

"In previous years we've tended to get enquiries and bookings from January onwards for our camping holidays, but we'd barely seen a finish to our 2008 season when people were enquiring about 2009," she explains.

"It would appear that more people are intending staying in the UK for their 2009 holidays and are aware that spaces in the summer are going to be limited as they feel more people will, like them, take a holiday closer to home."

Thinking long term, getting your kids and yourself pumped about a British-based holiday is easier when you see it as an adventure in your own backyard, said Ms Peet.

"Children are very keen to try out camping and parents are usually surprised at just how much they enjoy the freedom of the great outdoors.

"Plus, a growth in the number of companies offering pre-pitched tents in the UK enables people to camp easily whilst maintaining affordability, which is uppermost in people's minds as the credit crunch takes hold."

Still not convinced that holidaying close to home is good for the soul and not just the pocket?

"It doesn't matter how much you have travelled the world, there is something magical about discovering a hidden corner closer to home," said Ms Roe.

"And, ironically, it's often the people that have travelled the widest who have seen the least of their home country!

"It doesn't cost more to stay in locally run accommodation, it doesn't cost more to eat in locally run restaurants and it doesn't cost more to use local guides. In fact, it costs considerably less to do all these things."

While we all might wish to travel the world and experience it one country at a time, at the very least, we should be sure to do it sustainably, says Brian Kimberling of The Travel Foundation, an independent UK charity that aims to help tourism make a positive contribution to the places visited.

"Families should still go wherever they want to go, but they should consider travelling by the most energy-efficient method (train not plane if possible), consider offsetting the carbon emissions of their travel, and respect the destination when they arrive," he said.

"Sustainable travel doesn't mean that nobody should ever go farther than Cornwall – it means that wherever we go, we should be careful about the environmental and economic impact we have."