Research also showed that some 12%, about 340,000Britons, have spent over a month abroad in one single trip, with 2%, or 57,000 persons, spending a month or more away for work.

Nicholas Boys Smith, Director of Lloyds TSB International Wealth said that it’s becoming increasingly clear that more people are spending time abroad for business and pleasure than they did 10 years ago. He also pointed out how “a new global village of international mobile citizens” is being created that didn’t just include the “super-rich”.

“Ten years ago people spoke about the ‘haves’, the ‘have-nots’ and the ‘have-yachts’. Now I think we’re increasingly seeing that you don’t have to be a billionaire to be detaching from your country of origin – 17% of wealthy Britons are also thinking of leaving the country in the next two years. Now it is more a case of the ‘haves’, the ‘have-nots’ and the ‘have-frequent-flier-cards’.”

The survey found that people were heading to a different part of the world because they see more offshore business opportunities in a different country (32%), their organization does more business abroad (27%) and their job role has developed or changed (25%).

Leisure travelers were found to be spending more time away from home because they can afford more holidays abroad (43%), they have retired in the past five years (40%) and they prefer how people live outside of the UK (28%).