The number of British travel companies and tour operators that have closed down has risen by 45 per cent over the past year, figures have shown.

As many as 77 travel agencies and tour operators went insolvent in the 12 months to March 2014, compared with 53 in the preceding 12 months, and 39 in 2011/12.

Accountancy firm Wilkins Kennedy LLP, which conducted the research, said the high street travel industry had been damaged by the growth of ‘DIY’ holidays.

Anthony Cork, a partner at Wilkins Kennedy, said: “Travel agents were once the first and only port of call for booking holidays, but we are now seeing online booking services and price comparison sites taking over.”

He went on: “Technology has helped. Superfast broadband makes the process of cutting out the middleman easier by going direct to hotel websites to shave off another hundred pounds. The need to consult with a travel agent is rapidly disappearing.”

A spokeswoman for travel organisation Abta said: “The total number of both Abta and Atol (the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing consumer protection scheme) failures over this period was 17, low compared with previous years.

“Since Abta and Atol represent the vast majority of travel businesses in the UK, the figure quoted by this firm of accountants relating to travel agent and operator failures looks to be way off the mark.”