Turkey is top of the drops for holiday costs
Budget-conscious holidaymakers should head to Turkey which has emerged cheapest out of 36 destinations surveyed in the
Post Office’s global barometer of tourist costs.
The collapse of the Turkish lira has helped Marmaris to edge past Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, for the first time to take top spot in the 16th annual survey of costs for eight tourist staples – a three-course evening meal for two with wine, bottle of beer, glass of wine, can of Coca-Cola, large bottle of water, cup of coffee, suncream and insect repellent.
Although a few pence separate the two, a 37% fall in prices caused by the weak lira made Marmaris marginally cheaper at £26.13 for the eight items, compared with £26.19 in Sunny Beach.
Eurozone resorts are also looking good value, taking five of the top 10 barometer places. The Algarve (£44.39, down 1%) remains cheapest in third place, with costs 25% lower than in sixth-placed Costa del Sol (£59.56).
However, Cyprus has overtaken the Spanish favourite to take fifth place after recording a steep price fall of over 15% to £56.44 in Paphos. Malta (9th) has also made the top 10 with Sliema (£65.35).
Eighth-placed Madeira (£64.05) was the only top 10 destination to show a price increase, albeit just 3.4%.
Cape Town, South Africa remains best value for long haul holidaymakers and retains fourth place after registering a 1.6% price fall to £53.23.
Even though sterling has lost ground against the US dollar since last year, Orlando, Florida (10th) has entered the barometer top 10 for the first time after prices fell 10.1% yearon-year to £67.01.
Post Office Travel Money says it is worth noting that Britons visiting the world’s theme park capital for the first time in two years will find prices around 22% lower since then.
Nick Boden, Post Office Head of Travel Money, said: “It will pay dividends to invest time in holiday homework because many people won’t have travelled abroad in the past two years. They need to be aware that prices have risen sharply in some destinations and fallen significantly in others. We advise making a destination shortlist and comparing costs before booking a trip.”