07 July 2009

Caribbean 'costliest' for replacing holiday essentials

The Caribbean has emerged as the most expensive destination to replace holiday essentials.

An index of 16 holiday items by Visa Europe shows that Jamaica is the most expensive place to replace all of the essentials.

At an overall cost of 162,724 Jamaican dollars or around £1,120, the figure is more than double the cost of buying all the items in the UK.

The index compares the cost of holiday items from sunglasses to Speedos, across 17 major holiday destinations around the world.

The US is the cheapest with all 16 items costing a total of £468. The UK follows closely with a total cost of £507.

The most expensive items in the Caribbean are a digital Kodak camera at £412 - nearly seven times the cheapest price of the same model in the Czech Republic, and an iPod Nano at £424 - more than four times more expensive than the same model in the US.

Tourists spending on souvenirs and in need of an extra suitcase to bring everything back will find the best value in Bulgaria, where a Samsonite suitcase costs £42, nearly half the price of the same model in the UK at £77.

But Bulgaria is the second most expensive country for replacing all other essentials at a total cost of 927 Euros or around £780.

The best value pair of Speedos in the world can be found in Germany at £10.25 and the cheapest beach towel can be bought for £4.47 in the CzechRepublic.

The US is best value for Rayban sunglasses (£55) and gadgets (8GB iPod Nano for £88).

In India, where an Oral B toothbrush (70p) and Colgate toothpaste (18p) can be purchased for under £1 and Piz Buin sun cream is just £1.40.

Simon Kleine, head of external communications at Visa Europe, said: "The Suitcase Index provides a fascinating glimpse into how the cost of holiday basics really can vary from country to country, so we’d advise taking your time when packing this year."

The Visa Europe Suitcase Index

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• ROME WINS! HANDS DOWN!
  
  

  I've been traveling for over 50 years. All over the world. And the three greatest "costliest" episodes I had all happened in or around Rome: 1) Being charged USD12.50 for a single roll of basic film in the Vatican Museums: 2) Being charged $200 instead of $20 for a rosary in the gift shop located at the entrance to St. Peter's Square, run by an order of nuns, I believe; and 3) Being charged $100 for a $30 cab ride from Rome's airport to a seaside hotel in Ostia Antica. Haven't been back to Rome since, by the way!

  By Laurence Peery, Saturday, July 11, 2009
• Essentials?
  
  

  Essentials to me are things like razors, shaving cream, shampoo, sunblock, batteries. Personal care items. It annoys me no end that a travel sized shave cream at home costs 99 cents, but in a hotel shop is $3.49. And I just discovered that the batteries for my camera, which cost $19,99 at home, are less than $5 in Hong Kong. Given this list, I wonder if we're not losing touch with travellers?

  By Allan Lynch, Tuesday, July 7, 2009
• Essentials ?
  
  

  Maybe I am old fashioned but I am not sure an I-pod and a Kodak digital camera are "essentials". Take these out and I think the Caribbean drops from: first place. Surely they would be covered by insurance anyway?

  By Graham McKenzie, Tuesday, July 7, 2009