Over two million Britons sought an escape from the harsh winter weather in 2011 and migrated to sunnier climates for the Easter holidays, and it looks like this year is set to see much of the same – but at what cost?
In research conducted by My Travel Cash, 81% of respondents said cost was the primary factor in picking holiday destinations, however it looks like familiarity and prior knowledge of the area might take more precedence than originally thought.
A poll carried out by carhiremarket.com revealed that over a third of British holidaymakers have booked a trip to the popular Spanish Costas despite further afield destinations such as Bulgaria and Poland having been regularly hailed as desirable options due to the strength of Sterling against their currencies, as opposed to its dwindling strength to that of the Euro.
And when comparing some standard holiday purchases, the proof is definitely in the pint! While a lager will cost the equivalent of £0.78 in Bulgaria, visitors to Spain can expect to pay more than double for the same drink.
Even the cost of a simple trip down the beach could be halved or doubled dependent on the two destinations. In Bulgaria, ice-cream cones for a family of four would cost around €4 whereas the same purchase in Spain could result in a bill of nearly €25 – almost six times the cost!
Myles Stephenson, CEO of my Travel Cash commented: “What we found interesting from our research is that people are still determined to get away to sunnier climates despite the current economic uncertainty, and perhaps instinctively cite cost as the major factor when deciding where to go. What I’m surprised to see however, is that so many holiday-makers are choosing familiar destinations in comparison to trying somewhere further afield, despite the cost of living whilst in countries outside of the Eurozone being so much more cost effective.
