Pafos and Limassol have been ranked seventh and ninth best value for money summer European beach destinations for UK travellers according to a British Post Office survey of 20 European destinations. Both destinations are cheaper than last year. Limassol recorded the biggest drop in prices for a basket of goods British holidaymakers would typically buy on holiday with 20.2% of all the surveyed destinations. The Post Office’s Holiday Costs Barometer notes that prices have fallen in most of the 20 destinations surveyed and by over 10% in Limassol, the Algarve, Majorca and Sunny Beach, Bulgaria.
The Post Office barometer monitors the price of nine tourist items – cup of coffee (cafe/bar), bottle of beer/lager (cafe/bar), bottle/can of Coca cola (cafe/bar), glass of wine (cafe/bar) 1.5 liter of still mineral water (supermarket), sun cream, insect repellent(supermarket), 3 course dinner for two including bottle of house wine and a 2 course lunch for two (no drinks). Pafos came in seventh with a total cost of £84.27 for the nine items, 5.6% cheaper than 2018 when it also ranked seventh. Limassol was ninth with £93.58. Prices fell 20.2% compared to the previous year when it ranked 16th.
Key findings include:
- Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach is the best value destination for the sixth consecutive year. Prices for the nine tourist items are at least a third cheaper than in any of the Eurozone destinations surveyed.
- The Algarve is the cheapest of 16 Eurozone destination surveyed. With prices down by over 16 per cent, the Portuguese favourite is Sunny Beach’s closest competitor.
- Marmaris in Turkey is third cheapest in this year’s report and although local prices have risen, sterling’s surge in value against the Turkish lira means that barometer costs are down seven per cent on last year.