Best-value resorts on the UK Government’s green list have been revealed, after holidaymakers were given the go-ahead to travel to destinations including Barbados, the Balearics and Malta.
Travel money specialist, FairFX, has analysed the strength of the Pound against the local currency of destinations on the green list to see how it compares with the start of lockdown.
Coming out in joint top position are the Caribbean Islands of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada and Montserrat, where the pound is up 21 per cent against the East Caribbean dollar compared to March 2020 when the UK was first sent into lockdown.
The same goes for the Barbadian dollar, Caymanian dollar and US dollar, offering good value for those planning a trip to the Cayman Islands, British Indian Ocean Territory, the British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos, Barbados and Bermuda.
Tourists heading to the green-list Caribbean Islands would get an extra £87 worth of currency for every £500 exchanged.
In joint second place on the list are the Singapore dollar and Brunei dollar where the pound is up 11 per cent compared to last March. This means holidaymakers would get an extra £50 for every £500 exchanged.
The euro is next with the Pound currently up nine per cent against the single currency compared to the start of the first lockdown. This means holidaymakers would get an extra £41 for every £500 exchanged.
By comparison, rates in Australia have taken a downwards turn over the last year. Passengers heading down under - if they were allowed to enter - could be out of pocket by £46 for every £500 exchanged, with sterling currently down eight per cent against the Australian dollar.
The pound is also down three per cent against the New Zealand dollar compared to March 2020, meaning travellers would get £16 less for every £500 exchanged.
Ian Strafford-Taylor, chief executive of FairFX, said: “While the pound is yet to return to the pre-pandemic highs of 1.2 against the euro we saw last February, it is on the up, so people should keep a close eye on exchange rates.
“Following the Pound can be a great way to get better value abroad, but wherever travellers go they need to keep a close eye on rates and buy when the pound is strong rather than waiting and losing out if rates dip.”
