Increasing numbers of Brits are choosing holidays in Mexico, according to new figures from Post Office Travel Money.
Sales of the country’s currency showed a 144 per cent increase over the summer period of 2011, generated by the widespread availability of cheap all-inclusive holiday packages as well as flights to Cancun with British Airways. The boosted interest brought Mexico into the top 20 bestselling currencies published by the Post Office for the first time ever. Other long-haul destinations proving popular among British holidaymakers were shown to be Thailand, Australia and Barbados.
Short-haul destinations outside of Europe struggled to make it into currencies showing an increase in demand in the UK, with only Croatia, Iceland and Switzerland joining the usual European destinations favoured by Brits. Sales of the euro also showed an increase, with a 2 per cent increase in sales over the summer compared with figures for the previous year, rising to 5 per cent for the month of August.
The Croatian kuna has proved consistently popular in recent years, taking fourth place in the growth table for currencies in the UK for 2011 and featuring in the table for the past three years.
“This summer we have seen the first signs that demand for holidays to the eurozone has stabilised and even grown,” commented Sarah Munro, head of travel money at the Post Office. “In fact the success of Croatia, whose currency has strengthened against sterling this year, suggests that exchange rates are not the main consideration for holidaymakers,” she added.
“Package prices and resort costs play an important part in decision making.”
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