There are many factors that motivate people when it comes to travelling abroad. But the most important factor for British tourists going on holiday is the value of the destination. This is according to a new survey by mobile banking service Monese. The study found that there is a correlation between the price of a destination and how much they prefer it. By Ryan Beitler.
Things Brits Don’t Like Paying For
In addition to preferring taking a holiday in countries that they perceive as a good value, the study found that 52 per cent of Brits expect free Wi-Fi at hotels and resorts, with nine out of ten people saying they hate paying for it. 16 per cent believe that they should also have free dinners included at resorts and 27 per cent want excursions provided at no additional cost. Furthermore, 61 per cent of people object to paying for alcohol and over half of the people dislike paying for public transportation while on holiday.
Additional Charges
It isn’t just free things that British people want, they also want to avoid additional charges when they are on vacation. 47 per cent want to avoid charges on ATM cash withdrawals and think that it should be free of charge. 44 per cent of British tourists want to be free from credit and debit card charges on holiday. Even then, almost a third of Brits hate tipping and paying for additional service charges.
British Spending on Vacation
According to the site MoneyPug, a platform used to find cheap holiday deals, just about half of the British people abroad admitted to dipping into their savings accounts to keep having fun on vacation. Many Brits admitted to spending over £1,000 on a single item. Half of the people who responded said they spent money on luxuries like designer clothing and jewellery. 17 per cent buy electronics. It’s not surprising that British tourists run out of money, they like to go shopping on holiday. On average, the budget for British holidays was £717 per couple. Two-thirds of people said they spent £184, or 26 per cent, more than they originally intended.
Affordable Destinations
The Post Office Travel Money survey has determined that there is a correlation between the destinations that British tourists see as a good value and their favourite destinations. The nationwide poll found that 87 per cent of UK tourists voted for Spain as the best value for a world holiday spot. Right behind Spain, Greece and Bulgaria tied for second as the best affordability, with 85 per cent of people saying they are a good value.
Other affordable destinations include Croatia, which 83 per cent of people said was a good value. Turkey, Thailand, and Portugal all had 82 per cent of people saying that they are a good value. Finally, the Canary Islands was seen as an optimal value by 80 per cent people.
Destinations with Less Value
Mexico, a cheap destination, only had 74 per cent of people said was a good value. Since the pound-to-dollar exchange rate has gone down, trips to the United States are not seen as affordable. Only 68 per cent of people in the survey said that going to America is a good value. Some of the countries that were perceived as the most expensive were the Caribbean with 65 per cent of people saying it is a good value. Italy, France, and the Scandinavian countries were seen as more expensive than the others. Finally, the United Arab Emirates, with its luxurious capital Dubai, came in last for affordability. Only 38 per cent of people said that travelling to the Emirates is a good value, and 72 per cent of people said it is poor.
Choosing a Country
77 per cent named the cost of meals, drinks, and more at resorts as a key factor for choosing a destination. This is second only to airline costs, which 81 per cent of people showed concern about. The Post Office Travel Money Survey determined that two-thirds of holidaymakers say that they will still go abroad. With uncertainty surrounding Brexit, it doesn’t appear that British people will stop travelling but they will show discretion about where they will go. If the trends continue, Brits will choose holiday destinations that they perceive as a decent value. As the cost of the country goes down, the popularity amongst British tourists will likely go up.
About the author: Ryan Beitler is a journalist, writer, and traveller. He has been published in Paste Magazine, The Slovenia Times, New Noise Magazine, OC Weekly, Tourism Tattler, and numerous travel platforms. Reach him at [email protected]
