Fancy a bargain holiday? Go for a long-haul trip

IF you’re booking your holiday on a shoestring, you might think you have to stay close to home.

But long-haul trips to Thailand, Barbados, New York and even the Seychelles can be better value, research shows.

Taking a family of four away to the Greek island of Mykonos for one week in the summer in a threestar resort costs £3,372.

If however, the same family spent a week in the Seychelles it would cost £3,164 – a saving of £208.

Staying for seven nights in Barbados at a three-star hotel, the Halcyon Palm, comes in at a mere £2,568 – £804 less than Mykonos.

And a week in New York at the four-star Gregory Hotel is just £2,468.

The figures are based on research by TravelSupermarket.com, which says ‘fantastic savings’ are possible on holidays that involve travelling thousands of miles beyond the normal Mediterranean hot spots.

Families looking for a 14-night holiday would pay from £3,432 to stay at a four-star resort in Ciutadella, on the Spanish island of Menorca, on a B&B basis after schools break up.

That same family could travel to the four-star Kata Palm Resort, in Phuket, Thailand, for £3,048 – saving them £384.

One reason for the price discrepancies is that the British summer peak for holiday bookings coincides with a lull in the tourism industry in countries such as Thailand and Barbados, largely because the weather is so unpredictable.

In Barbados, the hurricane season is from June to October, while Thailand’s wet season runs from May to November.

The rise of low budget airlines, such as Norwegian, offering cheap seats to the US has brought the cost of holidays there down to the likes of Spain, Italy and Greece.

However, those looking to fly to the States for the very lowest prices might have to accept a stopover in Iceland with airlines such as Wow Air.

Families are not the only ones to benefit. Travelsupermarket said substantial savings are also available for couples who, for example, swap Ibiza for Dubai.

Two people going to the five-star Insotel Fenicia Prestige Suites & Spa in Santa Eulalia, Ibiza, in July would have to pay from £2,044. On the other hand, a trip to the fivestar Swissotel Al Ghurair in Dubai starts at £1,146. That would save you £898, but temperatures at this time of year are well over 30C.

Travel expert, Emma Coulthurst, of Travel-Supermarket, said: ‘If you pick well, you can experience some long-haul destinations this summer for as much as 47 per cent less than holidays much closer to home.

‘The cost of living is also a lot cheaper in long-haul destinations like Thailand than it is in short-haul destinations within the eurozone.

‘A three-course meal in a midrange restaurant in Thailand will only set you back around £7-8 and a pint of local beer £1.20 to £1.60.

‘An equivalent meal in Ibiza is likely to cost you around £26 each and a beer around £2 to £3.’