14 July 2008 - Turkey overtakes Spain as most popular holiday destination.
Holidaymakers look beyond the eurozone to countries such as Turkey for value as economic realities bite. Phil Davies reports.
The worsening economic climate is prompting British holidaymakers to look beyond the traditional package holiday favourite, Spain, to the cheaper option of Turkey, new research showed this week.
The Co-operative Travel Company reported that there had been a "seismic shift" in the way Britons were booking holidays this summer. Among its clients, Turkey had overtaken Spain, the favourite package holiday destination since the Sixties.
A large part of the reason for the shift is the poor exchange rate of the pound against the euro.
The independent travel group's findings were based on research into more than 200,000 holidays to its 30 most popular foreign holiday destinations.
Co-operative Travel's retail distribution director, Trevor Davis, said: "Bookings from people looking for cheap summer sun have traditionally ensured that Spain was the leading holiday destination. However, this year they are finding the high euro and a shortage of availability means the normal late deals are not available".
"Turkey has benefited most from this trend and we're seeing 30 per cent growth in bookings for holidays across all parts of the country."
Top 5 Foreign Holiday Destinations
1. Turkey – Dalaman
2. Majorca
3. Crete
4. Turkey – Bodrum
5. Algarve
