[size=55:1l69bfm4][You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Holidaymakers set for extra spending money this year thanks to the strong pound

Families taking holidays abroad can expect their money to go further this year, due to the pound being stronger than many rival currencies.

Sterling can buy 14 per cent more Turkish lira than last summer, suggesting resorts such as Marmaris will be particularly good value.

Bulgaria, which has a number of beach resorts on the Black Sea, is the cheapest option, according to a study.

It is possible to buy a three-course meal for two there, including a bottle of house wine, for as little as £23.70.

The survey measures the price of a ‘shopping basket’ of ten common holiday purchases such as lager, a meal and sun-cream to identify the cheapest destinations. While Bulgaria and Turkey offer the best value, Britain turns out to be most expensive.

The pound is running at a 19-month high against the euro of around 1.22, with predictions it will rise even further before the schools break up.

That puts it around 7.1 per cent higher than a year ago, which suggests popular European hot spots will be better value.

However, some of the benefits will be cancelled out by sharp increases in resort prices in places such as Spain, Portugal and Greece.

The price of the ten items, including a restaurant meal for two, comes in at £42.79 in Bulgaria, which is 4 per cent less than last year. The figure in Turkey is £54.22, which is a saving of 22 per cent compared with last year.

Portugal is the third cheapest at £54.46, although this is some 10 per cent more than a year ago. In Spain the basket comes in at £56.84, which is up by 35 per cent on a year ago.

Brighton is the most expensive at £79.25 – up 3 per cent on last summer, the annual Post Office Travel Money report reveals.

Croatia, usually seen as a good value alternative to Spain and the Greek islands, was ranked as one of the most expensive at £73.65.

The basket comes in at £69.41 in Orlando, Florida, and £66.43 in the Vendee region of France.

Bulgaria, which has a number of beach resorts on the Black Sea, is the cheapest option, according to a study.

It is possible to buy a three-course meal for two there, including a bottle of house wine, for as little as [size=150:18r3dvgs]£23.70.
The survey measures the price of a ‘shopping basket’ of ten common holiday purchases such as lager, a meal and sun-cream to identify the cheapest destinations. While Bulgaria and Turkey offer the best value, Britain turns out to be most expensive.

So I ask, why are people not booking their holiday in Bulgaria, could it be the cost of travel (airfares) the frequency of flights, could it be down to what is read on the internet and media about the crime and corruption, or is that people are just not going abroad. I wish I knew

I would say its a combination of all the points you've raised here, flights are getting ever more expensive and the same applies to fuel etc but lets not forget customer experience which in most cases doesn't exist in Bulgaria the Bulgarians seem to think they are doing the tourist a favor and it needs to be paid for at a high cost so all in all I think Bulgaria has had its day and the hype you read in the papers is what bought most Brits to Bulgaria in the first place, it wouldn't surprise me if the the Bulgarian government actually pay some of these people to print articles like this.

You have mad a very valid point there

quote....I think Bulgaria has had its day


could not agree more ...that with the cost and poor frequency of flights expecially to the north east coast resorts.....

I think there are a lot of valid comments here and the cost of flights is certainly one of the main reasons that visitors are dwindling. I know the pound is rising slowly but I can't see that helping the current situation here in Bulgaria. I think Bulgaria has missed the opportunity as it does with most things and I honestly believe it's going to take some time before they get out of the hole they have created themselves.

I wouldn't call the cost of that meal exactly cheap! Bearing in mind the wine for that price will be largely undrinkable for a Brit used to better for less and the food, typically Bulgarian, you have to get used to. The menu for that price won't buy you much according to what I have read on forums over the years. I am not personally complaining and have never experienced coastal restaurant food so maybe someone living or holidaying in resorts there would like to comment.