How UK Holidaymakers Can Make the Most Out of a Poor Pound

Its official! Travelling to Europe in 2009 is going to cost you a lot more than it has done for a long time. As I write this £1 is worth €1.06, almost a third less than it was a year ago, and many are predicting a continuing decline. Still, many of us are still planning a trip to Europe. As fewer tourists are expected to travel and accessibility still remains better than anywhere further a field, what is the best way to make the most of the pound this year?

Countries that lie just outside of the "Eurozone", such as Turkey and Croatia are becoming more attractive for Brits. Although Turkey is not as cheap as it was, the pound is still far stronger compared to the Turkish Lira (£1 to TL2.22) than it is to the Euro. To the west, Turkey borders Greece and Bulgaria and stretches over 783,000 square kilometres east over what is considered by many to be the earliest land ever to be settled upon; so there is plenty to explore.

Again, the Croatian Kuna is not as tempting as it once was, but many are anticipating a great push from the Croatian tourist board to counter this, meaning there could be a good many deals and offers up for grabs.

All-inclusive deals and package holidays are looking better than ever. Bookings for summer destinations as varied and renowned as Kos in Greece and the Algarve in Portugal are actually increasing this year. Prices are diverse, but although they can look disconcerting all in one lump, at least you know how much you're spending up front.

Spend a little more time researching prices. This is not only worthwhile for cheap travel insurance, but also for who you book with and where you go. Having said that, many agencies are offering January sales to entice prospective holidaymakers into booking as soon as possible. So it may well be a good idea to do the research now before these, fewer, deals disappear or are snapped up.

This also might be the time to try cheaper accommodation options than you might be used to. Consider visiting the French coast with a tent in tow, instead of staying in a villa. Or, you can go one step further by staying in hostel or monastery accommodation. Transport is seemingly the biggest consideration of the moment, with responsible tourism luring travellers onto cheaper and more eco-friendly trains and boats to get to their destinations. Therefore, one wonders how the airlines will respond to this as the summer gets closer.
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