With June on course to be the coldest summer month for 40 years, Scots are increasing digging out their passports and packing their bags for warmer climes.

The cold, chilly conditions which have seen torrential rain and temperatures as low as single figures in recent weeks, shows no sign of abating, providing an unexpected boost for tour operators.

The boss of one leading operator said the numbers heading off abroad was up by 30 per cent compared to last year, with Spain and Dubai among the top destinations.

With hopes blighted of a barbecue summer, even staycations - a creation of the economic downturn - are being ditched.

Bill Munro, chairman of Barrhead Travel, said: "Business is up on the same time last year and its definitely been affected by the weather. The trouble is now going to be availability, and prices have already started to rise in response to demand.

"Spain is a very popular destination this year as usual. Scots seem to love Majorca. And even long haul routes are selling well.

"You can get to Dubai for about the same as you can go to Tenerife, the only down side being that things are more expensive when you get there."

While business is booming at travel agents and airports, the impact of the dreich summer is being felt on the domestic market.

Marie Cameron, shop manager at Sands Caravan and Camping in Gairloch, Wester Ross, said that they were seeing fewer visitors this year at their 55 acre campsite, which caters for caravans and campers and also rents out ten heated wigwams.

She said: "Our May figures are also down 10 per cent but we are very much a weather related business and seeing as we have no control over the weather there isn't much we can do about it.

"We can but hope that people will see past the bad weather and make the most of the outdoors and their waterproofs if this poor weather continues.

"Although we are thinking that we have had enough rain now and the rest of the summer is going to be dry and amazingly beautiful, and will go on into the Autumn months."

Mungo Bryson, owner of the Loch Ken Holiday Park in Dumfries and Galloway, said that this summer had been "poor" for business so far.

The park offers two and three bedroom holiday homes alongside pitches for motorhomes and tents, but business is slow.

Mr Bryson said: "I'd say we our bookings are down by about 10 per cent compared to last year, and that's a mix of people staying for both weekends and longer breaks.

"A contributing factor is people trusting their iPhones too much, because the weather app that it comes with isn't too accurate. We have very changeable weather here and people should come and check it out for themselves."

However, Eva McDermid, Chief Executive of the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions, said that she was hearing good things from her members about the number of people coming through their doors.

More than 500 destinations are members of the Association, ranging from Edinburgh Castle to science centres, community museums and loch cruises.

Ms McDermid said: "The most recent figures we have is for April, and numbers were up 2.6 per cent on last year, which was a good year in itself. This was despite April being the coldest since records began.

"Anecdotally, since then our members say that things have been quite good this year. This may be because changeable weather is good for business in Scotland.

"If there's a warm and sunny spell, people tend to stay in their gardens or go to the seaside, but if it's unsettled they are more likely to visit indoor attractions or get out an about."

Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland said: "Scotland is a beautiful place to explore come rain or shine and our surveys continually show that our visitors do not come to this country for the weather. While the summer has yet to really heat up, the warm welcome of the Scottish people and our stunning landscapes will more than make up for it."