Tourists might be increasingly eager to travel after the difficulties of the past year, but seeking out the best deals still remains a major priority – especially for families. When it comes to value for money, few regions in the world can compare with the Algarve. In fact, just two. At least that’s according to a report by Post Office Travel Money.
Research for the “Holiday Money Report” concluded that “holidaymakers can expect to pay less for meals, drinks and other tourist staples in many of the world’s most popular resorts and cities”. The 15th annual “Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer” found that prices had fallen in over three-quarters of the 46 destinations surveyed.
Sunny Beach in Bulgaria was the cheapest, followed by Turkey’s Marmaris, while the Algarve experienced a 16.5 per cent fall in barometer costs – thus consolidating its position as the Eurozone’s cheapest resort area and third in the world.
With the help of national and regional tourist boards, as well as specialist tour operators, the Post Office barometer monitored the price of eight tourist items, comprising dinner for two with a bottle of wine, a range of soft and alcoholic drinks, sunscreen and insect repellent.
The top 10 cheapest destinations are:
- Bulgaria (Sunny Beach) £27.71
- Turkey (Marmaris) £37.19
- Portugal (Algarve) £44.13
- Bali (Indonesia) £55.01
- South Africa (Cape Town) £55.70
- Czech Republic (Prague) £57.39
- Spain (Costa del Sol) £57.96
- Vietnam (Hoi An) £58.39
- Sri Lanka (Colombo) £58.99
- Madeira (Funchal) £62.11
EasyJet and Ryanair Among World’s Best Low-Cost Airlines
Tourists travelling to the Algarve through Faro Airport are also in luck when it comes to flights. An annual review carried out by AirlineRatings.com included EasyJet and Ryanair – both key operators at Faro Airport – among the world’s best carriers.
The Australia-based aviation safety and product rating agency’s “Airline Excellence Awards” are based on criteria including age of fleet, passenger reviews and product offerings, as well as (this year) airlines’ response to COVID-19.
The top 10 low-cost airlines for 2021, determined from nearly 400 airlines monitored by AirlineRatings.com, are (in alphabetical order): EasyJet, Jetstar, Frontier, Jetblue, Ryanair, Scoot, Southwest, VietJet Air, Volaris and Westjet.
According to the rating agency, low-cost carriers “have allowed millions of people to travel for the first time or to take trips they would otherwise be unable to afford… All the airlines chosen have either excellent safety and incident records or have completed the International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit.”
Added editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas said, “Each of these airlines has an excellent safety record and has made a big difference in their market.”