Currency sales offer optimism
EURO currency sales have shown some signs of recovery compared with earlier in the year, indicating that pent-up demand for holidays overseas remains.
Although currency sales remain depressed compared with last year, Post Office Travel Money, which accounts for one in four UK currency transactions, has seen some recovery in demand compared with earlier in 2020.
It said that while the total value of euro sales was still down by around two-thirds (65 per cent) year on year between June 29 and September 27, this marks an improvement compared with earlier in the year.
Looking back further, from
April 1 to September 27, the total value of euro sales was down more severely, by 79% year on year.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office currently advises British nationals against all but essential international travel, although travel to some countries is exempted.
The advice is being constantly reviewed and the list of exempted countries is at www.gov.uk/ guidance/coronavirus-covid19-countries-and-territoriesexempt-from-a dvice-against-allbut-essential-international-travel Last week, Turkey, Poland and three Caribbean islands were removed from the UK’s quarantine exemption list.
Along with Turkey and Poland, the islands of Bonaire, St
Eustatius and Saba have been removed from the Government’s list of safe travel corridors.
Post Office Travel Money said that islands in the sun can still be practical choices for UK holidaymakers who are considering an autumn break abroad.
Its islands in the sun holiday barometer, which compares the costs of a typical “basket” of goods bought by holidaymakers, such as food, drink and suncream, found holiday costs on the Portuguese island of Madeira were particularly favourable.
The low cost of both alcoholic and soft drinks helped to make Madeira a relatively cheap option, it said. The Cypriot resort of Paphos was the runner up in the study. Nick Boden, head of Post Office Travel Money, said: “Holidaymakers who want to travel abroad still have plenty of good choices among European and Caribbean islands.”