Holidaymakers ‘changing places’ can save £££s
While the UK pound is at its highest rate against the euro in almost four years, a new Post Office Travel Money report reveals that holidaymakers hoping to cash in on their increased spending power could get caught out to the tune of hundreds of pounds if they fail to do their homework and check resort costs as well as package prices.
Couples can save as much as £457 on a one-week summer holiday by swapping their favourite destination for a cheaper one, according to the Post Office Changing Places report. By combining the lowest available price for a week’s flight-inclusive holiday for two with the daily cost of eating out and drinks, the Post Office found that couples changing places from in-vogue Croatia, priced at £1,360.98, can save over a third if they instead choose Portugal, where the comparative cost was £903.98¹.
Over two-thirds of holidaymakers interviewed for the report (69 per cent) said they would consider swapping their destination for a cheaper deal.2 However, while Spain’s Costas and Turkey were perceived by those people to offer the best value³, pricing research by the Post Office found that Portugal, Bulgaria and Majorca were cheaper.
Couples could have change left over from a holiday budget of £1,000 in all three destinations after adding resort costs to package prices. But crossing the border from Portugal to the Costa del Sol would cost them 20.4 per cent – £184 – more.
How ‘changing places’ can cut holiday costs
Destination - One-week package for two - Food & drink for two Total
Portugal £686.00 £217.98 £903.98
Bulgaria £750.00 £205.12 £955.12
Majorca £716.00 £276.31 £992.31
Corfu £676.00 £343.85 £1,019.85
Spain £758.00 £330.36 £1,088.36
Turkey £818.00 £317.18 £1,135.18
Cyprus £878.00 £270.48 £1,148.48
Croatia £990.00 £370.98 £1,360.98
The survey also found that while the Balearic Islands were rated good value by only 22 per cent of holidaymakers compared with 34 per cent for mainland Spain, couples swapping the mainland for Majorca could save around £95 (8.8 per cent).
Bulgaria, cheapest in this year’s Post Office Holiday Costs Barometer, scored a lower perceived value rating in the Post Office poll than Balkan neighbour Croatia – 15 per cent compared with 16 per cent. Yet bargain hunters can shave almost 30 per cent off their holiday cost by swopping Croatia (£1,360.98) for Bulgaria (£955.12).
In the eastern Med, there are savings of over £115 (10.2 per cent) to be made by travelling to Corfu rather than Turkey.
Andrew Brown, Post Office Head of Travel Money, said: “We always advise people to take all holiday costs into account when choosing a destination and this research shows why that is so important. In tough times, it is hard to stay loyal when there are big savings to be made by swapping to a destination that is over a third cheaper.”
All the currencies for countries surveyed in the Changing Places report are among 30 available on demand in larger Post Office branches. More than 70 currencies are available for pre-order at all 11,500 Post Office branches or online using the ‘Click & Collect’ service at postoffice.co.uk for next day branch or home delivery.