Leading Article: Travels with my prejudices

British tourists are ranging further afield, says the Association of British Travel Agents. "Exotic" destinations (like Mexico? exotic?) are in. It would be gratifying if this signalled a revival in the spirit of adventure and exploration. In fact it is about simple pricing: skiing in North America has become a lot cheaper than Switzerland; the Caribbean now competes with Cyprus.

Will greater distance broaden the nation's horizons? Not likely. It's hard to argue that package travel broadens the mind. After all, we haven't become conspicuously more European through taking holidays in France and Spain. People returned from the Med with their skin browner, their hair paler, and their prejudices very firmly intact.