Did you know . . .

THIS summer, wildfires have burned out of control in California and Greece. Leading travel insurance comparison website, Squaremouth, says whether your home or travel destination is in the fire's path, travel insurance may be able to help. But before buying a policy, here are 3 things travelers don't know about coverage for wildfires, but should.

1. Cause of the fire determines coverage - Most Trip Cancellation-style travel insurance policies will reimburse you if a natural disaster, such as a wildfire, prevents you from taking your trip as planned. However, travelers may not be aware that the original cause of the fire can dictate if this coverage is available.

In general, travel insurance policies consider a "natural disaster" something that occurred "due to natural causes". Meaning, if arson or other human error is to blame, the event may not be considered a "natural disaster", and coverage may not be available at all.

2. Cutoff date for getting coverage can be complicated - In order to have travel insurance coverage for any event, a policy must be purchased before the event occurs. Unfortunately for natural disasters like wildfires, and other events under investigation, it can be difficult to pinpoint the date it first occurred. As a general rule, travelers should remember that by the time an event is in the news and commonly known, it is too late to buy a travel insurance policy for any coverage related to that event.

3. Coverage available if home is in danger - Most travelers associate travel insurance coverage with a problem at their destination, however most don't know coverage can be available if your home is affected. Most Trip Cancellation-style policies cover travelers whose residence becomes uninhabitable or inaccessible by a natural disaster, such as a wildfire. This benefit covers the cost for the traveler to cancel their trip, or return home early, as well as any unused expenses due to the early return.


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Tokyo cheapest long haul destination for UK travellers

#JAPAN has been named as one of the top ten best value holiday hotspots for 2017 according to the Post Office’s Holiday Money Report. The Post Office’s ‘Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer’ surveys costs of 8 popular items UK tourists are likely to purchase - such as a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, a bottle of mineral water, suncream, and a 3-course evening meal for 2 people - in 44 destinations.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the barometer is dominated by popular European destinations such as the Algarve, Prague and Budapest, however Tokyo’s debut at number eight this year makes it the only long haul destination in the list of top ten best value cities.

According to the report, Japan’s appeal has increased in leaps and bounds in recent years as the yen has fallen in value against the pound - by a whopping 24.7% over the past five years. Consequently, prices for commodities such as meals and drinks have dropped sharply, turning a country once regarded as a luxury destination for the few into a now affordable option for many.

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Bargain Africa

LEADING specialist safari operator Expert Africa reports a stark truth: fly-drive holidays to #Namibia and #South Africa are now selling at the same price as ten years ago.

The South African Rand (which is tied 1=1 to the Namibian Dollar) is weaker than it’s ever been making travel to these two countries in 2016 remarkably inexpensive.

To put this in context, Expert Africa’s 14-night Caracal Self-drive Safari - taking in the main highlights of both southern and northern Namibia, including the Namib Desert, Swakopmund, Damaraland and Etosha – costs in 2016 from just £1,057 pp (based on two sharing) including half board accommodation for nine nights, bed and breakfast for five nights, and car hire, but excluding international flights.

In 2011, an almost-identical itinerary was priced from £1,723 pp - 60% more than the 2016 prices. Ten years ago, in 2006, the same trip was priced from £1,059 pp - almost identical to today’s cost.

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Watch out for hidden car hire costs

MORE than one-in-five people who have hired a car say they had found damage on the vehicle which was not highlighted on the check-out sheet, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by iCarhireinsurance.com.

Any damage to a hire car, even if it isn’t the fault of their hirer, can lead to the renter having to pay the first part of the cost of repair, up to the excess amount, which can be as much as £1,200.

The survey found that while half of hire car drivers always check their car for damage before they drive it, and almost a quarter have taken a picture of the hire car to prove it was damaged before they used it, only 38% check the condition of the wheels and tyres, despite the fact that these items can account for approximately one-in-five charges for minor damage made at the rental desk. Claims for damage to wheels and tyres, can cost from £120 to £400.

It isn’t just on pick-up that drivers need to be vigilant. A quarter have had to return their hire car without seeing a hire car representative. With 7% of renters believing they have been wrongly accused of damaging a rental car, not getting it signed off by a company representative is a risky move that could end up being costly.

Excess insurance can be bought to protect drivers from paying for damage, but the rental company policies cost up to £17 a day, five times more expensive than a policy from iCarhireinsurance.com (from £2.99 a day). Rental company policies also often exclude damage to windows, tyres, and undercarriages – areas that are most likely to be damaged. iCarhireinsurance.com policies automatically include these vulnerable areas as standard.

‘When you pick up a hire car always check it thoroughly,’ says Ernesto Suarez, founder and CEO of iCarhireinsurance.com. ‘Make sure that you note down every mark, no matter how insignificant on the check-out sheet, including damage and scuffs to the wheels. We hear of many people getting charged for minor damage, which they say was on the car when they picked it up, but which they didn’t mark on the paperwork. In the modern world of vehicle rental, this can be tantamount to writing a blank cheque to the rental desk.’

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St.Ives Britain’s ‘most expensive’ resort

ST. IVES in #Cornwall is the most expensive #seaside resort in Britain, according to a survey by Cheaprooms.co.uk, which compared prices in 30 popular coastal destinations. 

The results were compiled based on the average price for the cheapest available double room in a hotel or guest house during the month of August. Only properties located within walking distance of a beach and rated at least three stars were considered.

With an average rate of £164 per night, St. Ives tops the league. Oban, on the west coast of Scotland, and Poole, on the south coast of England, are second and third, with average rates of £132 and £128 respectively.

At the cheaper end of the scale, with an average rate of £42 per night, Blackpool ranks as the most affordable UK destination. Other inexpensive places to feature include Swansea (£56) and Llandudno (£52) in Wales.

Britain’s top 10 expensive resorts

1. St. Ives (Cornwall) £164

2. Oban (Scotland) £132

3. Poole (Dorset) £128

4. Falmouth (South Cornwall) £113

5. Sidmouth (Devon) £112

6. Bude (North Cornwall) £84

7. Brighton (East Sussex) £84

8. Whitby (North Yorkshire) £84

9. Bournemouth (Dorset) £84

10. Portrush (Northern Ireland) £84


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The ABC of car hire excess cover

ICARHIREINSURANCE.COM has created what it calls a beginners guide to car hire excess insurance … 

• If a hire car is damaged or stolen in Europe, the car is insured but the driver has to pay the excess (i.e. the first part of the claim), which can be up to £2,000. 

• Rental companies often insist that they hold this excess amount during the rental, either in cash, or more usually on a credit card, unless the customer buys their excess insurance. 

• Rental desk excess insurance is usually expensive, approximately £17 a day, and has many exclusions. 

• Excess Insurance can be bought from other specialist insurance providers at up to 85% cheaper. 

• Cover from specialist insurance providers usually includes cover for vulnerable parts of the vehicle, e.g., windows, tyres, roof, and undercarriage, which are often not covered by rental company policies. 

• Stand-alone policies are valid with all rental companies, as they refund the customer, not the rental company, and customers should stand their ground if the rental desk staff try to hard-sell them their insurance. 

• Customers who do not buy the rental company's excess insurance, including those with independent excess insurance, will need to let the rental company hold the excess during the rental – so it is a good idea to have a spare credit card available. 

• When the car is returned undamaged, the deposit is refunded. 

• If charges are made for damage, customers with stand-alone insurance claim this back from their independent insurance provider. 

• Always check the hire car for damage before it is driven, and ensure any damage is recorded on the check-out sheet, to ensure charges are not made for existing damage. 

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Average British family spends more than - two months’ salary on summer holidays

A SURVEY of more than 6,000 Brits reveals that the average household will spend a £1,025 for each person on a summer get-away this year. This figure equates to more than two months' pay, after tax, for a family of four based on the average national wage of £26,500.

The research, commissioned by HolidayExtras.com, also revealed that one in four Brits is comfortable paying an average of £2,000 each for their summer holiday.

On top of the cost of the holiday, a third of Brits spend an average of £376 while they are on holiday, with more than of it spent on food.

When asked what they look for first when choosing a summer holiday, one in four say they look for value, and to beat price hikes whenever possible.

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Brazil cheapest for car hire, Portugal most expensive

A 15-COUNTRY study of car hire costs by iCarhireinsurance.com reveals that the #Brazil and the United States are the cheapest places to hire a car this summer, while Portugal and Italy are the most expensive. 

Travellers will be paying on average £316 to rent a compact family car (e.g. a VW Golf) for a week this summer (July 30-August 6), across all destinations, although once 'extras' are added at the rental desk – including excess waiver insurance, an extra driver, a satnav and a child's seat – the price almost doubles to £612. Adding a tank of petrol (40 litres) takes the final price to £651.

In Portugal, the most expensive country in the study, it’s possible to pay almost £800 to hire a compact family car plus extras.

Petrol costs vary widely. The cheapest place to fill up is Florida where a full tank of petrol costs only £15, half the price of European petrol prices, which range from £37 in Spain to £56 in the UK.

With the Olympics in Rio this summer, Brazil has been included in the study for the first time, and is the cheapest place to hire a car. It costs £185 on average to hire a car for the week, with extras costing £72 in total compared with an overall average at all the destinations of £335.

Florida is the next most reasonable destination. The average cost of a week’s rental is £222, but the cost of extras is only £168. One of the reasons for this relatively low cost is that the car hire rate in the US often includes full Collision Damage Waiver with zero excess for overseas travellers, meaning customers do not need to buy e excess insurance cover, which is usually the biggest single outlay when a traveller picks up their hire car. But insurance in the US is complicated and depends on the in which cars are hired and the rental company. It is important to check the cover included in bookings.

From the cheapest to the most expensive (for the car hire cost, plus four 'extras' at the rental desk and petrol) the 15 countries (and 17 destinations) stacked up as follows:  

1.   Brazil (pick up from Rio de Janerio Airport) - total cost £257 

2.   USA (picking up from Orlando Airport, Florida) - total cost is £390
3.   Turkey (pick up from Dalaman Airport) - total cost is £515
4.   Germany (pick up from Munich Airport) - total cost is £528
5.   Holland (pick up from Amsterdam Airport) - total cost is £580
6.   Australia (pick up from Sydney Airport) – total cost is £608
7.   Belgium (pick up from Brussels Airport) - total cost is £615
8.   Ireland (pick up from Dublin Airport) - total cost is £686
9.   Greece (pick up in Crete) - total cost is £698
10. Spain (pick up from Barcelona Airport) - total cost is £742
11. Croatia (pick up from Dubrovnik Airport) – total cost is £743
12. France (pick up from Nice Airport) – total cost is £780
13. UK (pick up from London Heathrow) - total cost is £811
14. Italy (pick up from Milan Airport) - total cost is £835
15. Portugal (pick up from Faro Airport) - total cost is £893

Ernesto Suarez, founder and CEO of iCarhireinsurance.com said: ‘Our annual international study shows that the cost of hiring a car varies by over £300 depending on the country you are visiting, but this variation rises to over £600 when the cost of the extras is included. There are some truly shocking additional costs that holiday makers face, when picking up their hire car, making the original low headline price almost irrelevant when the final bill is settled at the desk.

‘People do a lot of research and careful planning for their holiday, but it’s easy to forget to apply the same level of diligence to booking the right rental car.’

www.icarhireinsurance.com


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Beware car hire waiver costs

CAR hire companies’ excess waiver policies are adding almost 50% to the original hire cost, according to a study by iCarhireinsurance.com, which compared the costs to hire a medium-sized car for a week in five European destinations from five large rental companies.  

Travellers often don’t know about excess waiver insurance, or how much it costs, until they arrive to pick up their hire car. Not purchasing this leaves car hirers exposed to the first part of any claim i.e., the excess amount if their hire car is damaged or stolen, which can be up to £1,400 even if it’s not their fault.

iCarhireinsurance.com, a provider of stand-alone car hire excess insurance, found the average cost for a week’s car rental was £237, while the average excess waiver policy from the rental company was £111 - adding almost 50% to the bill.

The study researched the costs to hire a car in Barcelona, Larnaca, Milan, Nice, and Tenerife from five leading rental companies … Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, and Sixt in spring 2016. 

In Tenerife, drivers will be paying an additional 59% again on top of their week’s car hire for an excess waiver policy from the car hire company.  The cost of excess waiver from the rental companies varies considerably, but was often over the £111 average across the destinations.  In Milan, Europcar and Hertz charged £194 and £199 respectively for a week’s excess policy, while in Barcelona the same companies charged more than £140, and in Larnaca, Budget charged £168.

‘Car hirers could save themselves an enormous amount of money with a bit of planning before they travel,’ said Ernesto Suarez, CEO and founder of iCarhireinsurance.com.  ‘Anyone buying an excess waiver policy from the rental desk is paying on average £80 more than if they bought a policy from a stand-alone car hire excess provider. Our policies include the vulnerable parts of the vehicle such as windscreens and tyres, which are often excluded by the rental desk waivers.’

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ATOL tips that can save you money

THE COST of a family holiday has risen by 20 percent in the past five years, with the average per person spend per trip up from £597 in 2011 to £694 in 2016, says ATOL, the consumer protection branch of the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority. This – along with the fact that two-fifths of consumers are booking flights and hotels independently – makes it more important than ever that travellers know how to best protect their holiday and make sure they won’t lose money if the worst happens and they are stranded abroad.

ATOL has five essential travel tips for booking a holiday:

• Think outside the box – package holidays can be personalised. There are plenty of ways to tailor a holiday for you and your family, so don’t be put off by the term ‘package holiday’. Buying a package where flights and accommodation are booked through one company means your holiday will be ATOL- protected and your money will be safe. If you book a hotel and flight with different suppliers, your whole trip will not be ATOL-protected, and you could lose your money if either company fails. 

• Do your research and check for ATOL protection. Some travel websites falsely display the 'ATOL Protected' logo, in order to lure and defraud customers. You can check that a company has ATOL protection. Write down the company name and/or the 4 or 5 digit ATOL number. Visit www.packpeaceofmind.co.uk and enter the details into the ‘Check an ATOL’ database, which has a list of all ATOL registered companies. 

• Think beyond the price. There are many foreign-based travel companies, which offer cheap and attractive package holidays, but these will not have ATOL protection. If booking with a non-UK travel company, find out what financial protection they provide and if this covers company failure and repatriation. If not, you might decide to take out additional travel insurance to include insolvency protection, which might mean you pay extra. 

• Take your ATOL certificate with you. You must receive an ATOL certificate as soon as you pay any money towards an ATOL-protected holiday. The certificate confirms what is protected, which company is responsible for your holiday booking (it may not be the company you are booking with directly), and what to do if the company ceases trading. Whether you print the certificate or have a digital version, it’s important to take your certificate with you. 

• Use a credit card and take out good medical and travel insurance. If you are booking your holiday through a number of travel operators, this will not be ATOL-protected, so remember to pay with a credit or debit card. These cards provide some protection if the goods and services you’ve booked are not delivered, for instance if one of the travel operators fails, but might not cover consequential losses. Make sure you have travel insurance, which will cover medical costs and other potential expenses such as damage or loss of any possessions you take with you. 

ATOL stands for Air Travel Organiser’s Licence and is the UK’s statutory holiday protection scheme run by the Civil Aviation Authority.  By law, every UK travel company which sells air holidays must hold an ATOL licence and issue an ATOL certificate as soon as a customer pays any money towards a trip. Booking an ATOL- protected holiday means passengers will get a refund if their travel operator collapses, or if they are already abroad, they will be flown home at no extra cost. 

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Cost is king for UK families heading to the sun

THE OVERALL cost of a holiday is the most important factor for the majority of families, a survey by On the Beach has found.

The survey of 1,500 British families conducted by My Family Club on behalf of On the Beach found that almost a third (30%) say the cost of a holiday is more important than any other element. A travel agent or operator offering full financial protection was also rated very important.

Positive feedback from family and friends was important, with 18% saying testimonials from their peers was a major factor in their holiday choices.

The survey results also suggested that British families were becoming more adventurous with their holidays with more than half (55%), saying at least one of their holidays this year will be to a new destination, with one in five sticking to their favourite destination once again.

Alistair Daly, chief marketing officer at On the Beach comments: ‘For most families, the annual holiday is the biggest spend of the year, so the cost of that holiday is incredibly important. We're also seeing more families choosing all-inclusive holidays, which is a great choice for those wanting to keep a close eye on their spending.’

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How to splash out – or not – on honeymoon costs

#TRAVEL money company No.1 Currency has compiled a list of the most sought-after five-star hotels in ten top #honeymoon #destinations, coupled with business class and economy flights for people planning to tie the knot this summer. 

For the ultimate honeymoon fantasy – privacy and perfect beaches – you will need to splash the cash. A two-week stay at the St Regis Bora Bora Resort will set you back more than £16,000. And of course you will have to find a way of getting there, so for the whole package – flights and accommodation – you’ll be looking at a price tag of between £20,000 and £30,0000, depending on whether you decide to fly business or economy. If you can’t afford quite that much but still want a luxurious get-away, there’s the Seychelles.

For those on a slightly tighter budget, Mexico and the Greek island of Santorini offer value for money. With the peso being one of the only currencies to weaken against the UK pound in the last year, sterling will go much further if you decide to head to Mexico. While they are cheaper alternatives, they do offer all the perks of luxury holidaying – beautiful beaches, master suites, and amazing scenery.

Simon Phillips, retail director at No.1 Currency, comments: ‘Weddings are one of the biggest days in a person’s life and it’s no secret that they cost a small fortune – an average wedding in the UK costs around £20,500, and that’s excluding the honeymoon.

‘Bora Bora’s beaches are considered some of the most stunning in the world, making it a magnet for those wishing to relax in luxury and escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. But you’ll have to be willing to loosen the purse strings if this is your idea of the perfect honeymoon getaway. With honeymoon prices soaring to almost £30,000, shopping around can help when it comes to choosing the ideal honeymoon location. Keeping an eye on the exchange rate can also help to cut costs, especially since the pound is so volatile at present. Cape Town and Mexico might be a good shout, given that their local currencies are the only two that Sterling has strengthened against in the last year.

“Although Sterling has fallen against the Thai baht, Thailand still offers great value for money. With its lush jungles, mouth-watering food, stunning beaches, and cheap prices, it’s no wonder Thailand is a popular option. Despite the weakening pound, Thailand still offers honeymooners with smaller budgets the prospect of inexpensive but lavish accommodation.’

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Sterling rise good news for long-haul travel

WHILE the sterling has slumped to a 22-month low against the euro, it has strengthened against #currencies for top long haul #destinations.

At a time when pundits are reporting a surge in demand for long haul packages because these now come close to matching the cost of European holidays, intelligence from the latest quarterly Post Office Travel Money Holiday Money Index supports the idea that UK holidaymakers plan to travel further afield.

Most notably, US dollar sales have surged by 14 percent for January-March 2016 compared with the same period a year ago. This is a significant increase because the dollar is the Post Office’s second bestselling currency and the double-digit percentage rise is more meaningful than for currencies where sales levels are lower. It also suggests holidaymakers are ignoring the fact that sterling is three percent weaker than a year ago against the US dollar, possibly because they believe the US will be good value once they get there.

Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money says: ‘Sales of long haul currencies are booming. This suggests a move towards holidays further afield – especially as it is being reported that long haul destinations are competing well on price with European ones, where package prices are rising. In the case of the US, we believe some people who would have visited Egypt have swapped Sharm el-Sheikh for Florida. Prices in Orlando remain very attractive for families on a strict budget.’

Thailand is one of the long haul destinations where demand for holiday packages is said to be surging. Post Office sales of the Thai baht have increased by 17 percent year-on-year, indicating an awareness of the good value available in both holiday packages and on the ground prices. Prices in Bali and Cape Town are even cheaper, which helps to explain why sales have surged by 23 percent for the Indonesian rupiah and by 20 per cent for the South Africa rand compared with January-March 2015. Another factor in the sales surge for South Africa is the fact that sterling has risen by 19.3 percent year-on-year against the rand.

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Report names cheapest resorts for summer

UK HOLIDAYMAKERS are likely to find #resorts more expensive this summer compared to last year as sterling has fallen from its seven-year high, but the Post Office claims the pound will still stretch further in many destinations than it did five years ago. 

Sunny Beach in Bulgaria is the cheapest holiday destination in #Europe for the third year running, according to Post Office Travel Money's annual Holiday Costs Barometer.

Despite a 9.3% year-on-year rise in prices, a basket of essential items still costs only £41.55, it said. Next come the Algarve, Cyprus, and the Costa del Sol, where the same goods cost £52.65.

‘However, with packages to Spain selling like hot cakes after falling demand for Turkey,’ says the report, ‘there has been speculation that prices may rise.  If that happens, savvy travellers could head north for the sandy shores of Asturias, where package and resort prices are low.’

In sixth place Costa Blanca, prices have fallen 6% year-on-year, it said, bringing the cost of a basket of essential items down to £62.29. In Greece, the lowest prices are in Crete, Zante, and Kefalonia. In British favourite Corfu, prices are up by more than 14%.

Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money said: ‘The pound may be worth less in Europe than a year ago, but our research suggests UK tourists who choose destinations carefully could find resort prices lower than expected. However, sterling could be affected – positively or negatively – by the EU referendum vote.

‘For those still at the planning stage, it will be wise to compare prices for tourist staples in resorts you are considering before booking.  This could make all the difference to how far the holiday budget will stretch.’

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Cheaper travel costs offset £ slump

THE POUND has plunged to a 13-month low against the euro and some other European currencies, but there is still good news for people planning trips abroad in one of the busiest holiday booking months.

Research by Post Office Travel Money for its Holiday Money Report reveals that lower prices in most European resorts will cancel out the impact of the sterling slide. At the same time, currencies for many popular long-haul destinations including Mexico, Malaysia, and Thailand have weakened against sterling.

The biggest gain for sterling has been against the South African rand, so UK tourists on safaris, fly-drive trips along the Garden Route, or exploring Cape Town will see their travel cash stretch 26 percent further than last year. In just five years sterling has doubled in value against the rand.

Sterling is also surging against the Mexico peso, which means that Cancun will be a bargain bet in 2016. Holidaymakers heading east will be better off in Asia and the Indian Ocean, too. A sterling surge of over nine percent against the Malaysian ringgit compared with a year ago has compounded the impact of falling prices in Penang to make tourist staples 27 percent cheaper in Malaysia’s most popular destination. Sterling has strengthened by 1.5 percent against the Thai baht year-on-year.

While the US dollar is at a five-year high against the pound, making Orlando and New York some 10 percent more expensive, three other dollars are significantly weaker. The Australian, New Zealand and Canadian dollars have each fallen in value since last February, and are now over 10 per cent weaker than two years ago.

The Norwegian krone has lost value against sterling. A six percent year-on-year drop, rising to 22 percent over two years, makes a Northern Lights trip to Norway a better prospect than visiting Iceland for the Aurora Borealis. Sterling has fallen 10.5 percent in value since last February against the Icelandic krona.

Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money said: ‘This is definitely a year when it will pay people to do their homework before booking a destination. With sterling’s recent fall in value against more than half of our bestselling currencies, you can’t blame them for thinking twice about where to go on holiday. However, canny travellers will be quids in if they opt for destinations with weak currencies or those where local prices are low. Better still, if they combine both elements their holiday money will stretch further.’

Despite a fall of more than 10 percent since last summer, when sterling hit €1.41 to £1, the picture is far from gloomy for people planning visits to the eurozone. Post Office Travel Money research shows that fierce competition to attract tourists has led to hefty price-cutting in many popular holiday destinations – resulting in lower rather than higher prices this year.

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Bansko best for skiing value

BANSKO in #Bulgaria offers the best value #ski break for British families this season, according to TripAdvisor’s cost comparison study of 42 destinations.

A week on the slopes of Bansko, including hotel, ski passes, ski hire, ski lessons, evening meals, and drinks for a family of four will cost £1,279, nearly four times less than the price of a comparable break in the most expensive destination, Switzerland’s Zermatt, which costs £4,809.

Not only has Bansko retained its position as Europe’s least expensive ski since last year’s TripIndex Ski study, overall costs for a break there have fallen by £352 since last year. By contrast, Zermatt has jumped three places from last year to knock Austria’s St. Anton off the top of the most expensive list.

Bansko and Eastern Europe in general are revealed as offering the best value for ski travellers this year. The region has three of the top six cheapest destinations: Bansko, Bulgaria; Sochi, Russia; and Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. Looking at a country level, Andorra has the most entries in the top ten best value list, laying claim to three resorts. Switzerland is the costliest country in which to ski; it has half of the ten most expensive resorts.

Sochi in Russia is revealed as the cheapest place to grab a bite to eat in this year’s study, with dinner for four over seven days costing just £105, compared with £762 in Verbier.

Swiss ski resorts have been some of the most expensive for the past four ski seasons, but the 2015/2016 season looks set to be pricier still for Brits, thanks largely to the increased strength of the Swiss Franc.

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Spain top value for half-term holidays

BRITISH holidaymakers will get the most value for their money in #Spain this half term, even though sterling is not quite as strong against the euro as it was during the summer, says Post Office Travel Money. 

Its #Half-Term Holiday Costs Barometer found Spain’s Costa del Sol to be the cheapest of 12 destinations surveyed, and 38 percent cheaper than Marmaris in Turkey, the highest-priced European resort in the survey of prices for everyday tourist essentials.

Although the Turkish lira has slumped in value against the 29 percent since last October, local prices have risen by more than that amount. This leaves UK tourists having to pay out an extra 9.1 percent on tourist staples compared with half term last year.

The eight typical tourist items surveyed – a family evening meal with drinks, coffee, beer, Coca-Cola, glass of wine, mineral water, suncream and insect repellent – add up to £68.86 in Marmaris compared with £42.49 in the Costa del Sol.

The Spanish resort was among ten of 12 destinations surveyed where the pound – currently worth 7.6 percent more against the euro than a year ago – has made the barometer basket 3.5 per cent cheaper for families. This year’s basket of essentials is also over eight per cent cheaper than it was five years ago, thanks entirely to lower restaurant prices.

Prices are also down marginally in runner-up Portugal.

Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money, said: ‘Price is bound to be a big consideration for families, so it is good to report a drop in the cost of tourist staples in ten of the destinations that attract holidaymakers at this time of the year. Spain is the bargain choice, but Tenerife, Cyprus, and Mombasa look great value with the promise of higher temperatures and more sun.’

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39513725@N02/12776685464">Monumento a la Vaquilla</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Bali named cheapest long-haul destination for third year

#BALI has retained its position as the cheapest long-haul #destination for the third year running, according to research by Post Office Travel Money. 

The Indonesian island was among 16 of 33 destinations to register a year-on-year price drop, including Cape Town and Tokyo.

Dubai was the most expensive destination surveyed at £167.10, while a rise of 15.2% in Muscat has seen Oman costs go up to £145.16.

The items counted in the costs study include an evening meal for two with a bottle of wine, bottle of beer/lager, soft drink, glass of wine, cocktail, chocolate bar, mineral water, suncream, and insect repellent.

Cape Town at £41.58 remains second cheapest for the third consecutive year. Tokyo at £51.81 has seen its value improve due to a combination of the strong pound and local price cuts. When this year’s 21.5% price reductions in the Japanese capital are added to significant falls reported 12 months ago, costs for UK visitors have halved since 2013, making a destination previously thought expensive an increasingly affordable option.

Other good value Asian destinations highlighted in the study include Phuket at £58.31, Hoi An (Vietnam) at £73.02 and the South Korean capital of Seoul at £69.02.

Andrew Brown, of Post Office Travel Money, said: ‘Price remains the big issue and so it is good news to see so many long-haul destinations offering great value, even though the strength of sterling is the main reason for the low resort costs. Local prices have fallen in only eight resorts this year, while sterling has risen in value against the currencies for most destinations.

‘The trick is to do some holiday homework before booking and pick destinations where the cost of living is already low and where the strong pound is making prices even cheaper.’

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9751325@N02/8011463655">Welcome to Bali</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Greek islands to lose VAT subsidies as EU cuts bite

SIX Greek islands this month lose their VAT (Value Added Tax) rate subsidies as part of the country’s third creditor bailout package.  

A package of cuts was agreed by the Greek government – against the wishes of voters in a referendum – as part of a financial bail-out deal with the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank.

The holiday islands are Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Rhodes, Santorini, and Skiathos. 

The ending of the tax subsidy will hit the cost of hotel and villa #accommodation, and the prices at cafes and restaurants. There was significant campaigning against the rise, with concern that it would damage the key Greek tourism industry. But #Greece’s creditors made it a condition of the latest bail-out. 

Other Greek islands are likely to lose their VAT rate subsidies next year and in 2017.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30400715@N08/5873947732">Mykonos church</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license), http://www.flickr.com/photos/54555810@N00/3878620643">Blue_Domed_Church_Oia_Santorini</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)

Research reveals extent of school holidays price disparity

SHARP falls in the cost of both overseas and UK family holidays have been recorded since schools re-opened following the summer holiday. A family of four could have saved an average of £626 – or 26% - on an all-inclusive break in the first week of September compared to the last week of August.

Prices for 2016 show that holidays in the Balearics are on average 27.75% less in September, 27.25% cheaper in Corfu, 22.5% in mainland Spain, 21.5% in the Canaries and 20% in Turkey.

The survey, based on two adults with two children aged four and eight travelling from Manchester, found that travellers make the biggest savings on domestic breaks. It revealed that the cost of a staycation in the last week of August was an average 51% higher than in the first week of September, when the autumn term started.

Families booking Centre Parcs in Sherwood Forest could cut 46% from their bill for a self-catering, two-bedroom villa – which would cost £730 more in August.

Cathy Crewdson, head of travel at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk which carried out the study, said: ‘It used to be the case that if you couldn’t afford to go abroad you could always stay in the UK. But as our data shows, staying in the UK during the school holidays doesn’t mean you are immune to price hikes.

‘While we would never advocate children missing out on education, we can sympathize with the many parents who decide to risk a school fine, especially when the savings far outweigh the actual fine.’

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