A recent survey conducted by a travel website indicates that many holidaymakers have extremely high expectations for the near future. Of the 1,926 people who responded to the study by sunshine.co.uk, 16 per cent imagined being able to travel under the Atlantic by train to the US by the end of the decade. A further 11 per cent believe that, should they choose to do so, they will be able to take a holiday on the moon by 2020.

Just under a quarter of the respondents said there would be resorts set up for travellers on space stations orbiting the earth within the next nine years. More than half reckon they will have the opportunity to cruise the ocean depths in a submarine before the decade is out.

Space travel, albeit for a very short period of time, will be available to those who can afford the £133,000 price of a ticket. Virgin Galactic is due to begin flying commercially to the edge of space some time next year. Aspiring astronauts will be treated to suborbital spaceflight for a matter of minutes on board the company’s Spaceship Two before returning to earth.

The survey also found that 34 per cent thought traditional flights would eventually be replaced by hot air balloons. Time travel is expected to become possible some time in the future by four per cent.

Sunshine.co.uk’s Chris Brown said it was apparent that some holidaymakers are no longer satisfied with topping up their tans by the pool and see trips into space as the future.