They have flocked there for 30 years, especially recently, when the declining value of the Australian dollar made it one of the last places where they could enjoy a cheap holiday abroad.

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But this is a beach town, and no spot is more symbolic of its identity than the promenade above the sands, crammed with stalls selling all manner of cheap holiday novelties to browsing vacationers.

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The figures may reignite concerns that parents are taking advantage of cheap term-time family holiday deals.

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Now, he is paid by the owners of hundreds of holiday homes across the valley for this cheap gift from the Earth.

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With an airport just down the road, and cheap flights from London, the company is hoping to attract a lot more people outside the usual holiday weeks.

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