Foreign spending by Brits tops £35 billion

UK RESIDENTS spent £35.5 billion abroad in 2014, 11.7% (£3.7 billion) more than in 2010, according to research commissioned by travel money business, Centtrip. 

Almost £6.15 billion was spent in Spain – the most for any country in the world – and £3.91 billion was spent in the US. Total spend by Brits in France was £3.5 billion, while Italy was fourth with £1.68 billion. 

The research showed that Romania had seen a 114% increase in spending by UK citizens between 2010 and 2014. There was also marked increases in Lithuania, the UAE, Norway, and Mexico.

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Cash cover upgrade for travellers to Greece

HOLIDAY EXTRAS and underwriters Allianz and White Horse are providing a complimentary insurance upgrade for customers travelling to #Greece, which almost doubles the cover for cash. The increased cover is in response to advice from the UK government’s Foreign Office that travellers might not be able to rely on ATMs or banks in Greece and might therefore need to travel with more cash than usual. 

The company’s current Premium, Essential Superior and Essential Plus policy holders travelling to Greece and all new policyholders leaving before September 1 will automatically benefit from increased cover for cash, from £300 to £500 per person; £250 to £400 per person; or from £200 to £350 respectively.

Holiday Extras is offering FairFX #currency cards free of charge. These can be pre-loaded with money in the UK and can be used as a back-up to carrying large amounts of cash.  

In the wake of the Greek government’s debt default, the Foreign Office advised holidaymakers going to Greece take enough cash to cover their entire stay.

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We’re OK for food and fuel, Greece tells tourists

WHILE Greek banks will remain shut until at least midnight on Monday – as part of the country’s euro and #debtcrisis – the government’s ministry for economy, infrastructure, shipping, and tourism insisted there was no threat to food and fuel supplies.

A statement said the ministry ‘would like to re-assure visitors to #Greece that hotels, restaurants, shops, and supermarkets have adequate food supplies, the prices of which have remained stable if not reduced as in the case of fresh fruit and vegetables.

‘This is also the case for fuel, as gas stations are adequately stocked and prices remain unchanged. Any reports stating the opposite are not reflecting the actual situation on the ground.’

It added: ‘The ministry for economy via the general secretariat for commerce is working closely with local authorities and food companies and has taken all the necessary steps to ensure the supply of goods to the Greek market continues to operate as normal so that demand is entirely covered not only for the Greek people but also for the numerous visitors who have chosen Greece for their holidays.

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Foreign cardholders exempt from daily €60 Greek ATM limit

MARKETING GREECE has published a statement saying people planning to visit #Greece in the coming days and weeks should be aware that the daily €60 (£42.50) ATM withdrawal limit at Greek banks does not apply to withdrawals made with credit and debit cards issued abroad,. The daily withdrawal limits for these remain unchanged.

Visitors would, therefore, be able to use their cards as they would during any other visit to Greece, either at ATMs or through transactions at hotels and shops and for services.

In a statement on June 29, Greece’s tourism ministry said:

“The measures the Greek government has imposed, limiting the movement of capital within the country, do not affect those who wish to make cash withdrawals from ATMs or carry out bank transactions with debit and credit cards that have been issued abroad. 

“It should be noted that the country has ample fuel supplies and access to the products and services required to ensure that visitors to Greece’s urban centres, rural areas and islands fully enjoy their stay.”

The British Government’s advice for visitors is to take extra cash just in case they find ATMs empty or closed, or shops and restaurants unwilling to accept card payments.

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Strong £ slashes Turkey resort costs

THE surge in the value of sterling over the past month has sent resort costs in #Turkey tumbling.

The UK’s Post Office Travel Money Holiday Costs Barometer reported big resort price rises in April for UK holidaymakers in Marmaris. But a rebound in the strength of the pound against the Turkish lira has given families almost 14% more travel cash in their pockets compared with last May, making prices in the Turkish resort lower than a year ago.

But Paphos in southern (Greek) Cyprus remains the best value destination in the Eastern Mediterranean at £62.60 for a holiday basket of eight family travel essentials including meals and drinks – 12.4% lower than a year ago and 16% cheaper than in Marmaris.

Although concerns have been voiced about the possible impact of #Greece’sfinancialcrisis on tourism, Post Office Travel Money says that local prices in Greek resorts have stayed low. However, it advises holidaymakers to carry sufficient euros in cash to avoid uncertainty about the acceptance of credit cards at shops, restaurants, and bars because these are not always as readily acceptable as might be expected.

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Be ready for Greek cash crisis, British tourists warned

PLANS to assist British people on holiday in #Greece are being made as the country moved closer to bankruptcy and exit from the #eurozone, the Daily Mail reports.

Tourists have been advised to take enough euro notes to cover emergencies in case Greek banks close cash machines. The Foreign Office advises them to take ‘enough money to cover emergencies and any unexpected delays’, and to avoid relying solely on credit cards or ATMs.

It came as Greece’s prime minister Alexis Tsipras refused to implement further austerity measures needed to unlock emergency funds to avoid a debt default.

British government sources said ‘contingency planning’ was under way involving ministers from across Whitehall departments. Experts believe the threat of a Greek default could lead to a run on the banks, which could result in cash machines being left without money or being turned off. There are also fears the situation could spark civil unrest.

UK officials have held talks with tour operators, who would have responsibility for getting stranded British tourists home. A source said they are also making sure they have the resources in place to provide consular assistance to British nationals who might get into difficulties.

See also previous blog posts on this matter
http://goholidayworldwide.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/take-cash-greece-bound-travellers-told.html

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How travel cards can save £££s

BRITISH holidaymakers are cashing in on the huge swings in the value of the euro to reduce the cost of their holiday spending by up to 11%. Operators of prepaid travel money cards are reporting a surge in sales of travel money cards in 2015, with tourists loading up with euros when exchange rates are most favourable, often many months ahead of travelling.

Over the last six months rates, have swung from a low of €1.247 to the pound to a high of €1.416. This means that a family buying €1,000 to cover holiday expenses would save more than £95 by picking the best week to buy. 

During the first few months of 2015, when rates have been particularly favourable, operators such as the International Currency Exchange have reported a 91% year-on-year increase in cards issued versus the same time last year, with customers loading euros on to prepaid travel cards.


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To tip, or not to tip? And how much?

GOBANKINGRATES has published a guide – for US travellers – to tipping in 25 of the most popular vacation destinations, from Australia to the United Kingdom.

The #tipping guide lists the services for which tips are expected, the percentage tip that's appropriate, and offers advice on how to deal with awkward tipping situations in each country. For example, in Austrian restaurants, a service charge is included in the bill, but customers are expected to round up (with a simple danke sufficing to mean keep the change). In many parts of China, it's illegal to tip taxi drivers; in fact, no one tips for most services, except tour guides.

‘It's not until you leave the US that you realize how strange American tipping etiquette is,’ said Casey Bond, GOBankingRates' editor in chief. ‘In fact, in many countries across Europe and Asia, a service charge are either already factored into the price or automatically included in the bill. On the other hand, in some countries in Asia, it's customary not to tip at all. It's important to read up on how much to tip in the country you're visiting, or risk overspending, offending someone or embarrassing yourself."

Highlights from the tipping etiquette guide:

Brazil: Restaurants often write a 10% service charge on the bill, but don't require that you pay it.

France: According to French law, all bills in restaurants carry a 15% service charge — not paid to the waiter, but the proprietor, who factors it into staff wages. As such, tipping in France is less of a custom.

Greece: Some restaurants don't allow staff to keep their tips — it's best to ask beforehand.

Iceland: Service fees will be already included in almost everything you buy, so tipping isn't expected.

India: Tourists are expected to tip almost all service workers except taxi drivers.

Ireland: There's not a huge tipping culture, but a good rule of thumb is 10%.

Italy: Tipping is fairly transparent, as service charges are often displayed on menus - and you may be charged for the tablecloth or silverware, too.

Japan: Tipping isn't mandatory, and in many cases tips will be returned.

Spain: It’s more a matter of manners than necessity: It's considered polite to leave at least something, whether it's small change or rounding to the nearest euro.

www.gobankingrates.com/personal-finance/much-tip-traveling-25-countries
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Tourism organizations offered chance to bid for government funding

EDUCATION, tourism, and trade and investment organizations in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are being offered the chance to bid for up to £2 million in government funding.

Cultural and sporting organizations and private sector companies can also be included in bids as part of a new GREAT UK Challenge Fund, which will administered by VisitEngland.

Decisions on funding will be made by a board comprising the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, British Council, UK Trade & Investment, VisitBritain, and the devolved administrations.

The fund has been established to provide seed-funding for projects that enable city, metropolitan, regional, and national organizations and sector associations operating in partnership to exploit market opportunities overseas. The focus is to capitalize on opportunities in overseas markets, with up to £2 million being made available to support the fund in 2015/16.

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Athens ‘cheapest city’ for breaks in Western Europe

THE Post Office's annual Travel Money City Costs Barometer has found Athens to be the cheapest city for visitors in Western Europe.

The barometer collects data on costs for city break visitors, including a three-course dinner with wine – which in Athens averaged at £29.15 for two – drinks, two nights' accommodation, airport transfers, sightseeing attractions, and city transport.

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Festival fun … and what it costs

TRAVEL money company No.1 Currency has compared the costs of the most popular festivals across the globe this summer on a per-day basis, once ticket cost, accommodation, food and drinks are taken into consideration. 

When calculated on a per-day-rate, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California – said to be America’s answer to Glastonbury – tops the list as the most expensive, at £187 per day. Coachella has the highest admission charge, at £252. 

Tomorrowland in Belgium follows as the second most expensive, at £186 per day.

England’s Glastonbury is one of the longest-established summer festivals, but music lovers heading there in June will certainly pay for the experience. It comes in as the third most expensive at £113 a day.

Roskilde in Denmark will set revellers back £641, but for that you get eight days of festival fun.

British festival fans looking to make their pounds go further are best off heading to Slavic countries. The Exit festival in Serbia is the cheapest place to enjoy live music, with the daily and total costs for the four days coming to just £54 and £217 respectively. A beer there costs £1, almost a sixth of the cost of beer at Coachella. 

The Open’er festival in Poland closely follows Exit as the second cheapest, with a day costing just £57.

Simon Phillips, Head of Retail for No1. Currency, says: ‘As the birth place of British festival culture, Glastonbury remains one of the most iconic and celebrated music events in the British calendar but, as our research shows, being a part of this tradition will cost you. Tickets are not far behind those of Coachella in terms of prices, and neither is the cost of food and drink when you’re there – unsurprising considering the festival is famous for having some of the best festival food around.

‘It can actually work out much better value to travel to a festival in mainland Europe than to stay at home. Not only does your cash go further in Europe, where food and drink in particular are relatively cheap compared to the UK, but Brits heading to festivals in the eurozone this summer will enjoy the added bonus of a strengthening pound.’

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Picture Credit: "Lollobrigida at Exit, Serbia" by Yuppien (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons; "Against Me playing at Coachella" by R1vers (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons; 

Take cash, Greece-bound travellers told

PEOPLE going to Greece are being advised to take euros in notes and coins in case the country’s escalating debt crisis prompts banks to switch off their ATMs.

The country’s tourist board in London said that while it anticipated no immediate problems, visitors should avoid relying solely on credit cards or local ATMs.

Holidaymakers should take ‘enough money to cover emergencies and any unexpected delays’, advised the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office added.

Travel experts recommended taking around three to five days' worth of spending money in euro notes, alongside credit and debit cards.

Economists say that if the country is denied emergency funds to cover its summer debt repayments, Greece could opt to leave the eurozone.

Bob Atkinson, of Travelsupermarket.com, pointed to the Cyprus bailout in 2013, when banks limited withdrawals and some shops and restaurants were unable to take card payments.

‘If you're travelling to Greece in the next couple of weeks, keep an eye on the news, check the official travel advice and certainly take a mix of different payment options,’ he said.

The Greek economy edged closer to default recently (April 27) when European finance ministers ruled out an extensive bail-out similar to action taken in 2010 and 2012.

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UK pensioners planning holiday spending sprees

Surveys show that pensioners 'consider’ holidays as UK pension pots are liberated 

ABTA:

MORE than a third of 55-75-year-olds thinking of dipping into their pension pot would consider spending some of it on a holiday or travel, according to research by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).

The findings come amid reports that travel companies are gearing up for over-55s to spend thousands of pounds from their retirement pots on multi-generational cruises and long haul flights as billions of pounds of money tied up is made available under changes to pension regulations affective from April 6.

One in five of those eligible would consider taking cash out of their pension, and a further 15% were undecided, the ABTA poll found.

Taking a holiday was the most popular option for a spending spree, followed by home improvements and paying off existing debts.

Europe was the most popular destination for those planning to spend some money on a holiday, followed by North America, Australasia, Asia, Africa, and South America. 

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines:

UK pensioners are planning holiday spending sprees with more than three quarters of older people in Britain plan to spend up to £10,000 each on a travel experience thanks to windfalls coming from relaxed pension rules, a study by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines shows. A further 20% are prepared to spend up to £20,000 per person.

It is estimated that about 18 million people aged over 55 will have gain access to up to 25% of their pension – tax-free – for the first time from this month (April). A further 320,000 people will become eligible every year.

As much as £6 billion could be spent within the first three months after April, with the main discretionary spend predicted to be on holidays.

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Currency savings – and discounts too ...

THERE'S never been a better time to head abroad thanks to the pound climbing to a seven year high against the euro in March, says villa holiday company.

The company, James Villa Holidays, has seen demand for its holidays grow by 12% in the last four weeks as holidaymakers take advantage of sterling’s strength to book their break , with some hedging their bets and buying their currency in advance.

The new strength of the pound means that a £100 buys an extra €22 compared with this time last year, making eating, drinking and fun in the Mediterranean more affordable for the British holidaymaker than at any time in the last few years.

‘There's never been a better time to visit Europe thanks to the great exchange rate,’ says Mark Bloxham, managing director at James Villa Holidays, www.jamesvillas.co.uk. ‘As a villa business, we know that people choose to stay with us because they want flexibility while they are on holiday, especially when it comes to food and drink.

‘Unlike an all-inclusive break, where you won't see the direct savings, our customers want to be able to choose between a barbecue by their private pool and eating out at the local taverna, and the beauty of the change in rates means that it's 10-15% cheaper than last year wherever they eat their evening meal.’

On top of currency savings, a large selection of James Villas with pools have been discounted, with 60% savings in April, 50% in May and 40% in June. The offers are available on bookings made before April 27.

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Vilnius offers biggest bang for your soaring UK £

THE rise of sterling has seen prices plunge in three-quarters of the European cities surveyed for the annual Post Office Travel Money City Costs Barometer. 

The increasingly powerful pound means city-breakers now have up to 22 percent more to spend than a year ago, equating to £90 extra on a £500 transaction.

For the seventh year running, Eastern European cities will offer bargain hunters the best value – taking seven of the leading ten places in the Post Office’s survey of 28 cities. 

Lithuanian capital Vilnius, with the city's Dawn Gate pictured is the newest eurozone member, tops the chart after registering a fall of over 15 per cent year-on-year in the overall cost of the barometer basket.

It would have been a clean sweep for the Baltic States, were it not for Budapest, which comes in second in the City Costs Barometer chart.

Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money said: ‘It’s a win/win situation for UK holidaymakers this year in European cities because prices are down in the majority of cities we surveyed, thanks to the soaring value of sterling. However, prices continue to vary significantly in different cities, so it makes sense to do some holiday homework before taking the plunge and booking a capital break.’

For the third consecutive year, Stockholm is Europe’s most expensive city, although prices for UK visitors are down by more than 14 percent.

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Picture Credit: "Vilnius-Tor der Morgenröte" by Nikater - Own work via Wikimedia Commons

Rail passengers reap £20 million in savings

PASSENGERS have saved more than £20 million on their rail travel over the last year following the launch of the Two Together railcard.

Launched in March last year, Two Together - www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk - gives two named people a third off rail fares when they travel together. In just a year, more than 215,000 Two Together railcards have been sold and more than three million journeys made with an average annual saving of £127.48 per card.

A third of railcards were bought by people in London and the South-East, while more than a quarter were purchased by passengers in the North-West, North-East, and Yorkshire and the Humber.

The longest journey saw two travellers cover the 1,043 miles between Reading and Culrain in the Scottish Highlands, saving an estimated £118.40 on their trip. The most popular destinations included London, Manchester, Edinburgh and York.

David Mapp, commercial director at The Association of Train Operating Companies, said: ‘From Thurso to Penzance, it’s fantastic to know that for anyone travelling as a pair, whether friends, family, or couples, using a Two Together railcard can make it even more cost effective.’

A Two Together railcard costs £30 a year and there is no limit on the number of times it can be used.

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Currency clowns .... Right country, WRONG cash!

A STUDY by an on-line travel agency in the UK has suggested that one in seven Britons has taken the wrong currency on holiday with them.

The majority of those who took the wrong currency to Turkey had taken euros, with the same mistake made by people who took them to Egypt. Many took US dollars to Canada, and some did not realize that the Irish republic no longer uses the UK£.

Go Holiday editor comments: Should people who do this be considered old or adult enough to travel abroad?

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Ferry fares cut for Lent

GOZO’S Lent and Easter celebrations – comprising religious services and processions, pageants, and exhibitions – take place in villages across the island from March 20 to April 5.

This year, Gozo Channel is offering reduced ferry fares for the weekend of March 20/22. Malta-Gozo passenger fares will be €1.50 (£1) instead of €4.85, and car and driver fares will be down from €15.70 to €8.50 (£6).

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Disney's on-gate price breaches $100

ON-THE-GATE ticket prices at prices Walt Disney World in Orlando have risen to more than $100 (£64.70) a day for the first time. 

A 6% hike means that single-day admission costs $111.83 (£72.35), including tax.

The increase applies to anyone aged 10 or over, while younger children aged three to nine will pay $99 (£64).


Ticket prices have doubled since 2003.

Rates for the company’s three other Orlando resorts will rise by 3% to $97. At Disneyland and the Disney California Adventure parks in Anaheim, California, tickets will rise 3% to $99.

A Disney spokeswoman said: ‘We continually add new offerings and experiences, and many of our guests select multi-day tickets or annual passes, which provide a great value and additional savings.’

Simon Applebaum, consumer marketing director at Floridatix.com said: ‘Booking theme park tickets in advance from the UK, rather than on-the-gate once you arrive, can seriously help customers save money. Especially in Florida and the US, when the exchange rate is forecast to worsen, booking ahead of time is highly beneficial for holidaymakers. One benefit is that they can effectively ‘freeze’ the amount they pay in pounds, and budget accordingly.’

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Picture Credit: "Disney World, Orlando" by Juliancolton (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

New owner for Wightlink Ferries

ISLE OF WIGHT ferry operator Wightlink Ferries has been sold for an undisclosed sum. Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Partners (BBIP) has purchased the company from Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund.

There will be no changes to staffing, pricing, routes, or schedules as a result of the change of ownership, according to a company statement.

BBIP partner Steven Lowry said: ‘Wightlink is a strong and stable company with the opportunity to grow and develop in the years to come. We are delighted to be the new owners of the largest cross-Solent ferry operator and are committed to investing in the business. Wightlink has a strong and secure future with its new shareholders.’

The company runs ferries from Portsmouth and Lymington to the island.

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