The pound may be down, but you don't have to be
If there were ever a time to be a bit depressed about money, it’s probably now. And there may not be much to go around, but that surely doesn’t mean everything is still expensive. The pound may be down but that doesn’t mean we have to be. For those looking for an idea for a quick cheap getaway, we might have just the ticket for you. Many might say that at the time of a credit crunch, it is the last time to be thinking of a holiday, but quite the contrary. If anything, booking a holiday now could give you the light at the end of the tunnel. FemaleFirst go into what we can do about vacations at times like these.
Don’t holiday in Britain
Although tourism is currently booming here thanks to our weak pound, for a UK citizen to holiday at home now would be a waste of money. In December the British Sterling fell to a historic low to 1.1526 Euros, the lowest level since the creation of the Eurozone currency in 1999. At the same time, the UK pound fell against the Dollar, to $1.4471, the lowest level in 7 years.
There may not be much promise for us Brits at the moment when considering the global stage of economy but the Europeans are certainly benefiting. Because of the current economic crisis, hotels have cut their rates, with the average price paid for by European tourists for a hotel room down by 13% on average.Alison Couper, Director of Communications at Hotels.com, says:
“Because the Euro has been so strong against the pound, travellers from the Eurozone countries have seen the prices they pay for hotels in the UK fall dramatically in recent weeks. The combination of heavy discounting on the UK high street and falling prices for hotel rooms has made the UK’s biggest cities hugely attractive. Many hoteliers and tourism-driven retailers are reporting that this has been a welcome boost to their businesses.â€
As a result of this combination, travelers from the Eurozone are attracted to our UK cities, and according to the leading accommodation website Hotels.com, they are paying much much less.Although UK travelers may not be able to feel the benefit of the weaker pound, at least there is comfort that travel-driven businesses will surely receive a boom at home.
Go somewhere where the pound is up
Ok, so this one may be slightly more difficult. Currently, the pound is so down in the dumps that many locations can seem completely out of budget. However, Egypt continued to do well in 2008 despite being considered a place of exotic. Not only host to one of the 7 wonders of the world, you can’t really argue with the amount of sun a desert receives. If all you’re after is a bit of sunbathing, then you might just hit the jackpot in this country, where the days are not only scorching but are windy as well for those of you with a bit of adventure in them. The breeze is in fact so strong in some parts of Egypt, that it has been compared to that of Hawaii’s surfer atmosphere. Although from a distance Egypt gives an impression of luxury, Egypt was a cheap tourist hotspot in 2008, and there are an enormous amount of all-inclusive deals at less than£1000 available to be taken advantage of. And don’t worry, your money will go a long way in European Pounds. Other countries that have drawn attention to themselves with credit crunch busting deals include Russia, Turkey and Norway, whose exchange rates have not changed as significantly as the Euro or Dollar.
Go on a cruise
Unless you’re horrifically afraid of the ocean, a cruise ship can often offer more than just a floating hotel. If paying in British pounds, a Cruise can eradicate the exchange rate from the equation altogether. Paying this way throughout your holiday can make it go much further, than if you were to travel to Europe, where your cash would certainly not stretch as far. And as an added bonus, paying in pounds on a cruise avoids any currency surcharges that many travel companies have to add to the cost of your holiday to account for the fact that you visit another country.
Or if all those fail, how about…
Visit foreign relatives?
Remember that long lost aunt that lives in the jungle somewhere on the other side of the world? Go visit! If you are going to spend money on a holiday regardless, then cutting your accommodation costs can leave the weak exchange rate irrelevant leaving you with more free cash to spend on Duty Free. Lovely!
Happy travelling!
By Karen Asbury