Costa del Sol resorts drop prices for 2017
In-resort prices for the Costa del Sol have dropped, meaning holiday spend for Brits choosing the Spanish region will stretch further this summer, according to Post Office Travel Money.
The Post Office’s Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer compares local prices from 44 destinations for staple tourist items, including meals, drinks and toiletries.
European resorts take nine of the 10 best-value places.
In the Costa del Sol, the average price for a basket of staple goods is £38.79, 3% lower than last year, putting the region in third place.
Portugal’s Algarve tops the chart for the second year running with a barometer total of £33.36 – a manageable £4 more than a year ago.
In Portugal’s local currency the euro, the price of an evening meal for two with wine – the biggest single cost in the barometer basket – is down almost 5% year-on-year in the Algarve.
Runner-up Sunny Beach, Bulgaria (£33.53) is just a few pence behind the Algarve, with a 1.5% fall in local prices.
Elsewhere in Europe, Marmaris, Turkey (£49.74, fourth), Prague (£51.17, fifth), Budapest (£53.18, seventh) and Corfu (£63.54, 10th) have retained their top 10 places, while Paphos, this year’s European Capital of Culture, (£53.03) has risen to sixth place, its highest position so far.
Completing the European line-up in ninth place is Sliema, Malta (£62.62), one of two new top 10 entrants.
Tokyo has powered past Cape Town and Bali to become best-value long haul destination and sterling is now stronger against 60% of bestselling currencies five years ago.
Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money said: "Holidaymakers can do little about sterling’s value but they can do their homework and plan trips to resorts or cities where prices for meals, drinks and other tourist staples are low.
"Europe is looking unbeatable value with nine of this year’s 10 cheapest destinations, not to mention local price falls in half the European resorts and cities we surveyed.
"Further afield, Tokyo and Cancun are good bets for bargain hunters but don’t discount Cape Town or Bali. If the rand and rupiah fall in value, low costs on the ground could make these great choices too."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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