How you could save thousands on your holiday this summer
THE falling pound is putting up the price of a holiday abroad this summer. But experts say families could still potentially save thousands – if they’re canny.
The pound has been marked down against the euro and dollar in recent months, pushing up the cost of everything from a hotel room to an ice cream and a bottle of wine. However, careful research on booking hotels, car hire and other holiday costs can deliver massive savings.
The key to cutting costs is to use local websites in the country being visited and go direct to those businesses. One study looking at a family going to Barcelona for a week in August found potential savings of £2,045.
Research by foreign currency experts FairFX found a saving of £145 by going direct to the hotel in Spain rather than using a British travel website.
There was also a saving of up to £100 by reserving a rental car on a Spanish website instead of the British equivalent.
However, it warned holidaymakers to check there is no residency clause. Importantly, it warned consumers against buying addons at the car hire desk, such as collision waivers, satnav and child car seats. It said people can buy their own collision waiver before they go, saving £100. FairFX said it was £25 cheaper to buy a satnav than rent one from a car hire firm. And many airlines will allow people to take a car seat with them – saving on an £80 rental fee.
It said families should always book airport parking in advance and never wait until they get to the departure lounge to change their money. A week at the long- stay car park in Heathrow in August will cost £175.70, but it can be brought down to £77.50 by booking in advance.
Buying foreign currency at the airport can cost 32 per cent more than putting money on a prepaid card in advance. This means for every £ 1,000 exchanged, you can save £242.
Researchers found consumers can make substantial savings on flights by changing the UK airport they fly from. For example, they said flights for a family of four were £400 cheaper using Gatwick rather
‘More to spend on having fun’
than Birmingham. FairFX chief executive, Ian StraffordTaylor, said: ‘Holidaymakers who do their research and plan ahead will get the best deals ... meaning you have much more to spend on having fun.’
A record number of Britons are holidaying abroad, shunning ‘staycations’ for hotter climes. Just under six million went overseas in April, up 8 per cent on the same period last year, the Office for National Statistics said. Travellers spent a combined total of £3.5billion going abroad in April.