Low-cost flights to Mexico and Croatia continue to be in high demand as the Post Office reveals the fastest-growing currencies of last summer.
With the easy availability of direct low-cost flights and affordable all-inclusive deals, resorts such as Cancun in Mexico have been revealed as big winners over the summer months. Demand for the Mexican currency increased by 144 per cent over the past year, according to the Post Office. Mexico’s tourism fortunes also received a boost this year with the introduction of direct British Airways flights to Cancun.
The Croatian currency experienced 36 per cent growth in August and an average 15 per cent sales increase for June-August. Croatian kuna sales for June-August 2011 were 54 per cent higher than purchases of the Bulgarian lev.
Other long-haul destinations that did well in the survey include Barbados, Australia and Thailand. Demand for the Argentine peso has increased, possibly as a result of BA introducing direct flights to Buenos Aires earlier in the year.
“Once again the big winners in the drive to attract UK holidaymakers were destinations further afield,” said Sarah Munro from the Post Office.
“Encouragingly, the best growth levels were recorded in August, which could be a positive indicator of what lies ahead as the winter sun season gets underway.”
Iceland and Switzerland also experienced an upturn in demand for their currencies between June and August. Euro sales grew by 2 per cent compared with a year ago – accelerating to 5 per cent in August.
It was not all good news for mid and long-haul destinations however. The Egyptian pound struggled to overcome the political turbulence of spring and suffered a 49 per cent slump in sales over the summer compared to the same period last year.
