Bulgaria Labeled Best Destination for Bargain Break

Bulgaria has reclaimed the top spot in the annual Holiday Costs Barometer from Post Office Travel Services - overtaking last year’s top trio of Thailand, South Africa and Egypt, where prices have risen steeply.

At around £42 for 10 holiday items, including drinks and meals, Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach resort was two and a half times cheaper than Antigua –the most expensive destination surveyed. Two other holiday spots outside the eurozone- Turkey and Croatia - have joined Bulgaria as Europe’s cheapest options for a bargain break.

But while attention has been focusing away from the eurozone for holidaymakers on a strict budget this summer, price cutting in some of the most popular eurozone destinations mean that the UK’s traditional favorites may cost less than expected.

Prices have plummeted in Portugal’s Algarve putting the destination back into the Post Office top ten for the first time in two years –at only 39p more for the holiday shopping basket than in Spain, the cheapest eurozone destination surveyed.

Local prices have dropped in Greece and Italy as well, which means that the annual price increase for the tourist items surveyed by the Post Office is just seven and five per cent respectively –and wholly due to the 11 per cent sterling exchange rate drop.