Future holiday destinations are out of this world

I CANNOT imagine that I will be around to enjoy the dubious pleasure of displaying on my mantelpiece a telegram or whatever they will be called then from King William congratulating me on reaching my 100th birthday.

The chances of me going into triple figures are remote, but just in case I do I will keep by me a press release received this week.

When I was a lad the family holiday destination was mostly the East Coast. We went to a number of exotic sandy places including Sheringham and East Runton. But the favourite seaside spot was Hemsby where we took a tiny chalet in the sand dunes just a crab's claw throw away from the home of the local character and fisherman who was known as Brownie.

They were happy, carefree days when magnificent sandcastles were built using newly purchased plastic buckets and spades and water holes left on the beach by the retreating sea were explored on the back of a blow-up rubber crocodile.

Real treats were playing the one-armed bandits in the penny arcade and devouring an ice cream sundae in the only restaurant.

As an adult with a young family, I went back to Hemsby for a holiday and found many of the wooden buildings much the same but the place enlarged considerably by sprawling caravan parks.

Times change and so do holiday habits. People still enjoy going to the East Coast but the attraction of holiday destinations abroad has grown enormously in the last half century.

And trippers are going further and further afield in their search for exciting new places to visit.

There is only so far that they can go - but that won't be the case in the not too distant future, I learn.

By 2050 - when I would be the wrong side of 100 - space tourism will be lifting off big time, believes the travel industry.

Even if the rockets can take wheelchairs, I don't think I would be booking a ticket.

The estimated cost of a week-long holiday on an orbital space station is £575,000 - the equivalent of £54,793 these days which is quite a chunk of money for seven days away.

And with pensions no doubt being in a sorry or non-existent state by 2050, what will be the chances of retired people being able to afford a holiday in Hemsby, let alone outer space?

Talking about holidays, I must admit that there are some smart cookie marketing people around - but their ideas can be far out in space.

One of these creative folk has just tried this one for size: pointing out that Easter was fast approaching (very observant), he asked people to push the boat out and surprise their family and loved ones.

This bright spark suggested that instead of buying a delicious Easter egg - which might cost £4.99 or, at a push, £9.99 - why not purchase a summer holiday costing hundreds of pounds.

I know which one I will surprise my lot with this Easter.