Price of holiday essentials drops in 13 European hotspots
In-resort prices have fallen across Europe to make it a bargain-hunters’ paradise, according to a report from the Post Office.
The latest Holiday Costs Barometer from Post Office Travel Money found the cost of tourist staples, including meals and drinks, are down in 13 of 14 resorts surveyed.
The biggest year-on-year fall was in the Algarve where prices dropped 22%.
The only destination where prices didn’t drop was in inflation-hit Turkey.
Of the 14 popular resorts in the study, Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach was found to be the cheapest.
"Almost three months after hitting a seven-year high, sterling is still holding strong against the euro and other European currencies to make holidays on the continent significantly cheaper in many of the resorts surveyed," said the report.
"While Sunny Beach is the clear winner on value in the survey of 14 European destinations, the biggest price falls over the past year have been in the Algarve.
"A significant reduction in the cost of eating out has contributed to a 22% drop in the barometer basket to £44.02 – making the Algarve 8% cheaper than third-placed Costa del Sol (£47.90)."
As a result, the Algarve has overtaken the Costa to reach the runner-up spot.
Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money added: "Meal prices can have a big impact on the holiday budget and make a big dent in their holiday finances for people who plan to eat out every night.
"In the Algarve a three-course evening meal with wine costs just over £16 for two people while lunch comes in at £12. That’s less than half the price in other eurozone resorts including Ibiza, Sorrento and Nice."
Cyprus has moved up to fourth place in the Holiday Costs Barometer table and emerges as best value in the Eastern Med.
Prices in Paphos are now 17% lower than in inflation-hit Turkey where visitors to Marmaris (£65.70) can expect to pay 21% more than last year.
The Greek Islands are also good value, with Crete (£57.09, fifth in table) and Corfu (£62.14, sixth place) showing barometer price falls of 14.1% and 19.7% respectively. Like the Algarve, meal prices account for most of the savings.
Meanwhile in Spain, Ibiza weighs in as the priciest at £95.65, with holiday staples costing twice as much as in the Costa del Sol.
Majorca is again the cheapest of the Balearics after a 15.6% fall brought prices down to £65.38.
However, tourists visiting neighbouring Menorca will find it almost as cheap (£67.02). Prices there have fallen over 16% in a year but have plunged 44% over two years.
Italy’s Sorrento (£101.60) remains most expensive resort, where rising prices have offset the benefit of the powerful pound.
The barometer looked at prices of the following items in resort: cup of coffee, bottle of beer, can of coke, glass of wine, 1.5 litre bottle of mineral water, suncream, insect repellent, an English tabloid newspaper, two-course fixed lunch and a three-course evening meal with wine.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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