America’s great again for value... and you can cash in too on Brexit holidays
With the dollar and sterling in free fall there’s never been a better time to head away
It’s hard to see a silver lining to the election of Donald Trump as US president – but there is one; Trump may not be making America great again but at least he is making holidays across the globe a whole lot cheaper.
That’s because the dollar is falling as fast as his policies are being rejected by Washington, leaving the US economy bogged down in a political quagmire.
Trump hasn’t managed to get a single piece of major legislation passed since his election.
Last December the Euro was worth $1.04 as the US currency basked in the euphoria over newly-elected president Trump ‘making America great again’.
Now that he’s made it a laughing stock instead, the euro is worth $1.17 and is heading for $1.20.
That’s a huge rise in value for the Euro, not just against the dollar but against all currencies linked to it – including all of those in South and North America and the developing world.
With oil priced in dollars too, the falling greenback makes flights less pricey too.
The dollar has also helped drag down sterling, although, thanks to Brexit, it didn’t need much help.
In June last year a euro bought 76p sterling. The previous November the figure was as low as 70p. Now it’s touching 90p.
That all means a lot more bang for the euro – it’s up over 20% against sterling and 12% already against the dollar, with further falls in the latter likely, according to currency experts.
With Norwegian Air now flying very cheaply from Ireland to the USA, it’s cheaper than ever to get there – even before you snap up bargains on the ground.
Norwegian Air claimed its $300 round-trip flights launched in the US earlier this year were the cheapest-ever deals for transatlantic flights.
From Ireland, using the same airline, Tour America recently offered €469 deals for return flights and accommodation on a US shopping trip, although you wouldn’t be flying out until October.
If you fancy a road trip, there’s a €1,099 fly-drive stay for nine
nights that might be just the ticket, although this is for 2018. Family package holidays to Orlando are proving more attractive to many than Spanish holiday resorts, according to Tour America.
‘When the kids are off school, everything books out fast. But book in advance and you’ll get a good price now for later in the year or 2018,’ a Tour America operative said.
Tour America offered a week in Orlando in September for €579, with another in January 2018 for €549. Topflight also has holidays in Orlando from €579 per person.
According to travel agent Trailfinders, the best time to book a holiday is 11 months before you’re due to travel, when there are plenty of cheap rooms and seats still available.
But if you can be flexible with dates, resorts and hotels, there are deals if you leave it until later — eight weeks before you go — and then see what’s around that suits your budget.
Britain is also worth a look if you’re thinking of a lastminute break. When sterling tumbled after Brexit, so did the number of tourists coming here from the UK. Savvy Britons realised it has become considerably dearer to visit Ireland and many decided not to come. The flipside to that equation is that it is much cheaper for us to holiday in Britain.
Yet there is no corresponding increase in Irish people going there.
A mere 4% of AA customers intended to go to Great Britain, including Northern Ireland, for their main holiday this year, according to an AA Ireland survey. This is a pretty low figure considering the proximity and value now offered by our nearest neighbour.
Maybe it’s time to pay Auntie Norah a visit. Or now that Game Of Thrones is back on our screens, you might like a trip up North to see where it’s made.
You could take in the Titanic exhibition, which beat the Eiffel Tower to be named Europe’s leading visitor attraction in 2016.
Also worth a look are the spectacular Giant’s Causeway and the Glens of Antrim.
You could pay for much of the cost of the trip with the money you’d save by shopping and filling up on diesel while you’re there (although petrol prices are much the same as they are here).
There are also lots of freebies across the Irish Sea in Britain. If you visit a natural beauty spot, you’re unlikely to be charged €6 to look at it, as tourists are at the Cliffs of Moher.
In 2001, free entry was reintroduced at national museums in England, Wales and Scotland.
The British Museum is London’s most visited free attraction. Also free are the National Gallery, Tate Modern, and Science Museum in London.
Other British cities give tourists a break as well.
Bath, for example, offers a free two-hour general tour each day.
It also has a Jane Austen audio tour that you can freely download.
Also look out for pubs hosting free music or comedy nights. Check out sites such as Timeout or onthecasemusic.co.uk for up-to-date schedules.
Castle-wise, Maiden Castle in Dorset is the largest in Britain. Plus it’s one of the many unmanned and free sites managed by English Heritage.
You can download an audio tour of the site from englishheritage.org.uk
The VisitBritain website often has good ideas for free things to do – as does the National Trust’s site.
Also check out magicfreebiesuk.co.uk for other ideas for days out across Britain.