Cheap holiday destinations

The Euro crisis is having a great impact on the exchange rates with the price of Sterling on a 19-month high against the Euro.

With the pound buying more Euros this year perhaps a holiday in Europe would be a cheap option?

According to The Post Office Travel Money annual report, Brits can make their money stretch furthest in Bulgaria.

The Post Office report compares the same top ten shopping list, purchased all over the World in popular holiday hot spots, including items such as larger, sun cream and a meal out for two.

Last year’s winner was Spain, with the shopping list coming in at £42.15 but this year, in 2012 the very same shopping list came in at £56.84, a 35% increase on last year’s figure.

This year’s winner for the cheapest shopping list was Bulgaria, at just £23.70 – cheaper by 4% compared to last year. The country boasts many beautiful beach resorts along the Black Sea, making it a serious contender for the British holiday market.

 This year in Turkey the £ will buy around 14% more lira than it did this time last year – its shopping list of ten products came out at £54.22, a staggering 22% less than last year.

Portugal came in at the third cheapest, at £54.46 but still this figure saw an increase of 10% compared to this time last year.

 Further afield, Orlando in Florida, was a tad on the pricey side too, at £69.41.

Croatia, often considered to be an undiscovered and therefore cheaper holiday destination, was actually found to be the most expensive of all the countries compared, at £73.65.

However, these drops in prices for food stuffs in resort doesn’t sadly mean for a ‘cheap’ getaway. Popular resorts in Spain, Portugal and Greece are actually more expensive now than they have been for years. Whilst the short haul destinations fare better with regards to APD taxes, resorts are making up for lack of funds by charging more.

Thinking about a UK ‘stay-cation’? Think again, your shopping basket will be even more expensive - the same items were purchased in Brighton for a whopping £79.25!

If you’re looking to get away for a break this year then it seems you should forget the Jubilee and Olympic celebrations in the UK and instead consider a week or two in Bulgaria. Bulgaria takes just 2.5 hours flight time from London, and flights are available from all of the main airlines including easyJet, BA, Monarch and Ryanair.

Don't forget when you book your holiday to book all the essential extras like currency, travel insurance and your airport parking - why not try meet and greet parking this year for the most convenient type of airport parking.

Which? report: book airport parking early

Which? magazine has recently published a report on airport parking, identifying the dos and don'ts of how to get the best possible price when booking your holiday parking.

The report highlights how expensive gate prices can be when compared with booking in advance - as much as three times the price of pre-booked airport parking.

According to the Which? report, 36% of travellers drive themselves to the airport. And without pre-booking, these travellers can leave themselves ‘vulnerable’ to costly parking charges.

The report cites Heathrow Airport’s own car parking with prices of around £120 per week when arriving without a booking. Booking in advance is a much cheaper option and the sooner you book parking the cheaper it is likely to be - much the same as budget airline ticket prices.

Following the publication of the report, Gatwick meet and greet parking company, Help-Me-Park, issued the following tips for booking the cheapest airport parking:

• Book the airport parking the moment the travel plans have been confirmed. This secures a company’s best price, not to mention the peace of mind that the parking is booked; and that’s one less thing to worry about! 
• Another top tip from Help-Me-Park.com is always to book your airport car parking online, again this is cheaper than making same booking over the phone
• Combine this – booking online and in advance - for the very best price
• Always make sure the company you are booking your valet parking with is a reputable and reliable operator 
• Ensure the company provides fully insured, mature and experienced drivers
• Always make sure the parking operator provides a land line contact number and 24/7 contact number.