More people than ever are choosing Canal Boat Holidays in the UK as a way of taking a break without going abroad, according to the latest figures from British Waterways.

Following the launch of British Tourism Week today (March 15th), record visitor levels have been seen enjoying themselves on Britain's 200-year-old canal network.

In 2009, some 13 million adults visited an inland waterway, marking a year which also saw canal restorations grow the country's network by ten per cent, as well as the number of Canal Boats increase by over 40 per cent since 2000.

British Waterways is hoping to build on last year's success by encouraging even more people from home and abroad to take Canal Boat Holidays in the UK.

Last month, thousands of canal enthusiasts joined together to celebrate the life of author Tom Rolt, the man responsible for preserving one of the world's greatest collections of canal and railway heritage.