Spain voted best-value holiday destination by British tourists in 2022 survey

More British holidaymakers visit Spain than any other country and now its resorts have been rated as the best value out of 26 destinations worldwide.

The Spanish costas received a 92 per cent value rating in the latest Post Office Travel Money survey, followed closely by the Canary Islands.

Greece took third place, followed by Turkey and Portugal, the country which has the lowest cost of living in western and southern Europe.

The fall of the pound against holiday currencies in the past month, combined with the cost of living crisis, will force many Britons to consider how much they will spend in their chosen destination before they book.

Yet as Covid restrictions have eased across the world, 53 per cent of people surveyed said they were planning a trip overseas compared to 43 per cent in 2021.

Meanwhile, UK breaks continue to be more expensive than comparable holidays on the continent with families set to spend £1,400 more to stay in the UK than to take a holiday abroad this half term, according to research by i.

Those planning an overseas trip may swerve typically low-cost Bulgaria (80 per cent) and instead opt for Croatia, which scored 86 per cent by those who had visited the Balkan nation.

Budget-conscious rate Mexico top for long haul

Among long-haul destinations, Mexico and Thailand secured the first and second highest scores, while Dubai and Scandinavia languished at the bottom of the table.

Turkey also fared well on value, indeed is one of the few countries where the pound will stretch further than in 2021. Britons exchanging £500 can expect to receive over 50 per cent more in lira.

The Turkish tourist resort of Mamaris scored highest in the Post Office Holiday Money Report in March this year, pushing out Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach from first position.

Pound to stretch further in Scandinavia

Some places that were voted lower in the rankings may offer better value than expected in 2022. British tourists will get more for their money in Scandinavia this year, for example, as sterling is up 4.17 per cent year-on-year against the Swedish kronor (£22.42), 2.6 per cent against the Norwegian krone and 1.6 per cent against the Danish kroner.

There is a notable difference in the perception of a destination as good value before and after a visit, the report found.

Take Vietnam, which was given a 84 per cent value rating by those who had yet to visit, but only 59 per cent from those who had taken a trip to the south-east Asian country.

USA offers better value than expected

Conversely, the USA was only awarded 61% who had yet to travel there, but 73 per cent of those who had been to the States.

Nick Boden, Head of Post Office Travel Money, said that while Britons weigh up the cost of flights and accommodation or package deals “they will need to watch what is happening with sterling as that will make a sizeable difference to the overall cost of their holiday”.