The long-haul destination that's been crowned best value for UK travellers

The country has regained its position as the best value long-haul holiday destination for UK travellers

South Africa has reclaimed its title as the most affordable long-haul holiday destination for UK tourists, according to a new report. The study by Post Office Travel Money revealed that local price drops and the depreciation of the South African rand have reduced costs for UK visitors by 12% since autumn 2023.

This makes Cape Town the best value among the 32 resorts and cities examined in the annual survey for the first time since 2018. Typical prices include £1.63 for a cup of filter coffee, £1.81 for a local beer, and a three-course evening meal for two with a bottle of house wine costing £33.31.

Tokyo, Japan, was named the second-best value long-haul destination, followed by Vietnam’s Hoi An, which held the top spot last year.While Sydney, Australia, was deemed the most expensive, with tourist staples costing nearly three times more for UK visitors than in Cape Town.

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A rise in sterling's value against most long-haul currencies means that UK holidaymakers planning winter sun breaks can expect to pay less than a year ago in over half of the destinations surveyed. Laura Plunkett, head of travel money at Post Office, said: "Our research revealed wide variations in the cost of tourist staples across the 32 destinations we surveyed."

She added: "Holidaymakers could save themselves a lot of money and make a big difference to the overall cost of their winter sun trip by doing some basic holiday homework before booking to find out where meals, drinks and other staples are going to cost the least."