Holiday costs rise for travellers to Egypt

Holidays by UK travellers to Egypt have risen by 13 per cent over the past year, according to the latest International Passenger Survey carried out by the Office of National Statistics.

The increase in interest in travelling to Egypt was reflected in the Post Office’s most popular foreign currency rankings based on sales in 2009, which placed the Egyptian pound at number six. However, the Post Office’s Holiday Costs Barometer has recently indicated the country’s status as a good value destination for UK tourists’ travel money may have taken a hit. The Holiday Costs Barometer shows a 39 per cent price increase in the country on 10 items typically bought with holidaymakers’ travel money.

The Post Office Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer reveals a bottle of suncream will set tourists back £12.28 in Egypt while a three course evening meal for two adults, including a bottle of house wine, comes in at £62.23. Travellers are advised to plan their travel money spending in advance to ensure they don’t run out of foreign currency while abroad. The Post Office also reminds holidaymakers not to leave foreign currency purchases until they get to the airport where they are less likely to get a good deal on their travel money.

Post Office Travel Money advises UK travellers of the value of budgeting their foreign currency spend in advance and obtaining competitive rates on their foreign currency by ordering their travel money in advance and collecting from over 12,000 Post Office branches across the UK.