Australia is looming as the most popular long-haul destination for holidaying Brits this winter.
According to new data released by Asda Money, August saw a 102% increase in the purchase of Australian dollars among consumers in the UK.
Commenting on the findings, Karen Harkin, Asda Money said: “With summer looking like it’s already over, it’s unsurprising people are already planning some winter sun with our analysis revealing Australia to be the most popular destination this month. Looking at the exchange rate of British sterling to the Australian dollar, it has been at a rate of around 2.1 since the middle of July, peaking at a rate of 2.223 on 24 August compared to 1.8 on 24 August 2014. This is the highest level the Australian dollar has been at since March 2009. Our figures show that other popular destinations for the coming months include Canada and the United States, with an increase in currency sales of 44% and 42% respectively in August.”
Harding said that as the UK’s economy improves and the value of the pound continues to strengthen, online sales of the euro have also risen compared to last year.
“Last year, the Norwegian Krone, the Czech Republic koruna and the Bulgarian lev all featured in our top ten currency list,” she said. “This year, however, they have been replaced by the Indonesian rupiah, the Turkish lira and the UAE dirham. Overall, our online currency sales have increased by 72% compared to last year with more exotic locations becoming more common. Our insight also reveals the average amount customers are purchasing for their getaways, with an average of £564 worth of euros being bought and £688 worth of US dollars.”
Currencies bought online May to August 2014 vs 2015:
Australian dollar – up 155% year on year
Canadian dollar – up 114% year on year
Euro – up 69% year on year
American dollar – up 64% year on year
Egyptian pound – up 59% year on year
Croatian kuna – up 55% year on year
Comments are closed.