Holidaymakers looking for the best value beach resort in Europe are likely to find that their pounds will stretch further outside the Eurozone, according to research for thisyear’s Post Office Travel Money Holiday CostsBarometer. In a comparison of costs in 18 top European destinations1, the Post Office found that beach resorts in Bulgaria and Turkey are far cheaper than in their lowest-priced Eurozone competitors, Portugal’s Algarve and the Costa del Sol.
For the fifth year running, Sunny Beach in Bulgaria is best value for a bargain break, even though prices have risen 16 per cent since last spring. At just over £43, the Post Office barometer basket of tourist staples – lunch and evening meals, drinks, suncream and insect repellent – is less than half the price in two-thirds of the other destinations surveyed. ‘Cheap as chips’ meals are the main reason for the Black Sea resort’s dominant position. Two people can have an evening meal with wine for around £26 and lunch for less than £9.
Runner-up Marmaris (£57) cannot match Sunny Beach on price but the plummeting Turkish lira – down 25 per cent year-on-year against sterling – means holidaymakers visiting Turkey will get much more for their money. To add to that, local prices remain low because of competition between restaurants and bars, keen to attract tourists back after a lean couple of years. As a result, barometer prices in Marmaris are 20 per cent lower than a year ago.
