A Post Office survey has revealed that UK tourists are confused about which countries are members of the eurozone.

The Post Office has revealed that a number of UK tourists do not know which countries are in the eurozone – a currency union of EU states that have adopted the euro – making them more likely to choose holiday destinations with a higher exchange rate and cost of living.

At least 20% of those surveyed did not know that Portugal and Greece use the euro currency, while 43% did not know that Austria is part of the eurozone – even though it was a founding member.

Around one third believed that Turkey – and 46% thought that Denmark – used the euro (they use the lira and krone respectively). Almost 60% of UK tourists are still unaware that Cyprus and Malta joined the eurozone in January 2008, and only 25% realised that Slovakia had joined in January.

The euro is still “riding high against the weak pound” – the pound has dropped almost 17% against the euro – and the Post Office has found that the confusion among tourists means they could potentially miss out on holiday deals. For example, UK tourists will get almost 10% more Polish zloty for their pounds compared with exchange rates last year.

Andrew Spice, of Post Office Travel Services, explained: “Confusion about the most-commonly used currencies in Europe is a worrying indication that UK holidaymakers may choose a holiday destination that will cost them more money at just the time when every penny counts. People may be well aware that sterling has slumped against the euro but they also need to know which countries do and don’t use the currency so that they can make an informed decision about where to holiday.

“Our survey reveals that a significant minority of people think some of Europe’s cheapest destinations are eurozone members. However, the exchange rate is more stable and the cost of living much lower in places like Turkey, Hungary and Poland and this will save cash-strapped holidaymakers money.”

The Post Office is the UK’s largest provider of foreign currency and the largest Post Office network in Europe. The Post Office has a tool to enable holidaymakers to check which currency a country uses. Click here to use the application.