UAE and Barbados most expensive destinations for British holidaymakers

The UAE and Barbados have been ranked the most expensive destinations for British tourists in a new survey published by Santander. 

According to the report, the two destinations cost Brits more than £100 per day in spending money. By comparison, Poland and India are the cheapest destinations, costing just £30 per day on average.

These figures do not include the cost of hotel accommodation or flights.

With a direct flight to Barbados costing an average of £3,136 – flying out on 27 July, the busiest week of the summer – a couple going away for two weeks could expect to pay around £12,900 for their summer holiday, once accommodation is included, the report stated.

Close behind as the second most expensive place is the United Arab Emirates, where British tourists can expect to pay £101 a day – on top of return flights costing an average of £617 – meaning a couple’s two-week break departing on 27 July could cost them £5,400.

And since 2010, the daily costs of visiting Barbados and the UAE have risen by an average of 36.5%, up from £79 per day in Barbados and £75 per day in the UAE.

Matt Hall, director of Banking at Santander, said: “Flights and hotels are a major expense on their own, particularly for families travelling in the peak school holiday period, and that’s even before you get to your destination and have to pay for meals out and so on.  Depending on where you’re going daily costs could vary significantly, so bear this in mind when budgeting for your holiday.”

Additional research by Santander found that more than two million people are expected to jet off overseas during the week of 27 July, the most popular week for people to go on holiday.

Table 1: Most expensive countries for British people to visit based on average daily spend and % change 2010 – 2014

Source: Santander analysis of ONS Travel Trends 2014