Around the world in 80 bars; InsideView.

Byline: John Lamb 

THEY crave it in Italy; they yearn for it in France; they would swap a pint of the amber nectar for it in Australia.

And apparently recession-hit Brits are turning to it for comfort.

The product they all want is chocolate, including Cadbury's, the worldwide brand based here in Birmingham.

And, according to research, chocoholics are scanning the globe in search of holiday destinations which allow them to indulge their cravings.

Believe that if you will, because the research comes from Cheapflights.co. uk, a price comparison website where visitors check out flight details.

They claim to have detected a surge in people allegedly considering destinations like Austria to sample the local chocolate.

And even Belgium, famous for very little, rates highly on the choc fans' itinerary. There is a museum of Cocoa and Chocolate there to tickle your fancy.

Cheapflights are even trying to sell trips to New Zealand to chocoholics.

The country has a Cadbury World, which includes a five-storey high chocolate fall.

I'm not sure that Brummies could be bothered to fly half way round the world when there's a wonderful Cadbury World on their doorstep at Bournville.

Perhaps there is something in this urge for chocs as an antidote to the recession because Cadbury have just reported a half-year rise in profits, partly due to growth in the UK and emerging markets.

John Lamb's views are not * necessarily those of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where he is Press and PR manager.

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