UK holidaymakers will get the best value for money from long-haul trips.

Trends in the travel and tourism industry have revealed that holidaymakers can reap big savings if they travel to long-haul destinations rather than to Europe, according to the Post Office Travel Services.

The annual survey, What the Pound Buys Abroad, has cited the strength of the sterling against many long-haul currencies, in particular the US dollar and the South African rand, which have seen rises of 12% and 15% respectively.

Jamaica, Hong Kong, Barbados, St Lucia, and Dubai are also recommended as good value for UK tourists – the UK pound buys around 19% more Jamaican dollars, and 13% more Hong Kong dollars, than in 2006.

Helen Warburton, Head of Travel at the Post Office, commented on the report’s findings, which also revealed that people are still purchasing holidays despite the credit crunch. She said: “Across the board we sold 20% more currency during March and, whilst this can be explained partly by the timing of Easter and school holidays, it suggests that holidays remain a firm priority.

“Looking forward, we believe that holidaymakers will look very carefully this year at how to get the best value for their money. With the Open Skies agreement due to come into force in April, they should keep a close eye on transatlantic flight costs, where the market will become more competitive.”

The dip in sterling’s value against every European currency – worth 17% less than last year – will make holidays to Europe more expensive for UK tourists.

Although the Post Office reported that sales of Euro currency rose 29% over Easter, it has stated that city-breaks to European destinations such as Prague may suffer as holidaymakers choose the value of long-haul holidays over shorter breaks.

Warburton recommended the best-value destinations for UK holidaymakers: “Hungary, Turkey and Portugal look to offer the best value in the short-haul market while New York and Dubai are good bets for holidaymakers who want to restrict travel time to below eight hours. When time is not a concern, South Africa and Jamaica are great value destinations.”