THE erratic Scottish weather, and new airline routes opening up at major airports, are tempting more and more older Scots to seek sunshine abroad.

A growing number of older travellers has contributed to rising passenger numbers at airports this year, with Glasgow Airport achieving a 12 per cent year-on-year leap in August, and Edinburgh Airport also enjoying year-on-year passenger growth last month.

Glasgow Airport added that it had seen a 16 per cent rise in numbers in the first 10 days of September compared to the same period last year.

"A lot of that is down to people just wanting to get away," said a spokesman.

It seems that increasing numbers of Scots aged 55 and over are taking advantage of travel-company deals, and new airline routes, in search of the sun.

And while Spain remains a favourite destination, as it has traditionally done, there are signs that many of these holidaymakers are becoming more adventurous.

Several reports at the start of 2015 suggested that the over-55s would spend more on holidays as a result of new rules governing how they managed their money in retirement. One report suggested that cruise ships and holiday groups would be in for a boost in 2015 as the over-55s gained more control over their retirement funds than ever before.

Less than two weeks ago, figures from insurers showed that pension savers had been taking out around £27 million a day from their pots after the new freedoms came into force.

Jacqueline Dobson, managing director at Barrhead Travel, one of the UK's largest travel companies, said that while pension money could be one reason why over-55s were booking more overseas holidays for themselves, the main reason was without doubt the weather.

She said: "The Scottish weather throughout July and August was so bad that I think many people decided they had had enough. They're fed up with the weather and they just want to get some sun on their bones."

Ms Dobson said that Barrhead had noticed a jump in bookings - made either online or in personal visits - by people in the over-50 age-range.

"We're seeing lots of people now taking two holidays a year," she added. "They'll have a break at the start of the year and they'll be looking to go away again in the summer.

"On top of all that, we've been receiving a lot of early bookings for next year as well. Our bookings for 2016 are already up, and a lot of that is down to people in the 50+ category."

Spain remains popular but Portugal was also doing well. "Dubai is very popular with them, not least because Glasgow Airport has two daily flights there with Emirates.

"Dubai offers more now, in that people can go further afield. Access is so much easier, and the Emirates themselves are a growing destination for us.

"The US and the Caribbean are also doing well for us - there are a lot of direct charter flights to Las Vegas or the Caribbean.

"It's so affordable now to go further afield. It's easier to get value for your money as well - there are lots of nice all-inclusive package deals available and which appeal to people in this age group.

"The over-55s are also becoming more adventurous," Ms Dobson added. "They don't want now to go and just lie on a beach for two weeks. They want to go sightseeing in different cities abroad."

Glasgow Airport has expanded its European network this year, introducing Bordeaux, Salzburg, Munich and Prague. Vilnius, in Lithuania, and Lublin, in Poland, are launched tomorrow, and Milan will follow in December. Thomas Cook will fly to Barbados from Glasgow in November and to Cuba the following month.