The only way is up for Down Under

Down Under is on the way ‘up’ with its most iconic city, Sydney, claiming the top spot as the nation’s most desired 'City Break' destination.

Australia’s Sydney has beaten rivals across the globe to take the crown, including European greats such as Berlin and Barcelona, and those further afield in Mexico City or Moscow.

In a survey conducted by my Travel Cash – a prepaid MasterCard currency card provider -15% of those surveyed picked Sydney as Wish List Destination Number One with Los Angeles and Tokyo coming a close second with 13% and 12% of the vote, suggesting that the weekend city break may be a thing of the past, and holiday-makers are going further, for longer.

It seems it may be a case of ‘been there, done that, got the t-shirt’ for haunts such as Amsterdam and Paris, with only 1% and 3% of those surveyed choosing these destinations.

For those holiday-makers that have already ventured half way around the world to Sydney, their average spend per person was just under £1000 in 2011. Similarly, my Travel Cash’s customer analysis shows an average spend of £900 and £800 in LA and Tokyo respectively.

Myles Stephenson, CEO of my Travel Cash commented on the findings: “The Eurozone and its close neighbours have historically held a monopoly on city breaks, no doubt driven by their close proximity to the UK. Our survey findings have uncovered some unusual destinations, especially given the long flight times to the top three destinations.

“It is perhaps an indication as to how accessible the concept of World Travel is becoming – it’s no longer restricted to wealthy businessmen but is instead becoming an achievable aspiration for most. It could also be an indication of the UK’s travellers becoming more adventurous, with a taste for exotic and glamorous destinations. It might also signify a move towards longer trips, meaning the typical weekender may be a thing of the past.

“It’s interesting to see the difference in spend for those destinations and typically it looks like LA offers holiday-makers the biggest opportunity to empty their pockets. By taking a prepaid card from my Travel Cash, especially for city breaks where shopping is inevitable, users benefit from the 1% cashback offering on all purchases – every shopaholics dream!”

my Travel Cash offers prepaid currency cards in Euro, US Dollar or Multi-Currency denominations. Visit mytravelcash.com for information about terms, fees or to order a card by completing the short form. An Express Delivery option is available allowing cards to be delivered in just 1-3 working days.

There are no ATM withdrawal fees on all three cards, and users also benefit from 1% cashback on all purchases.