Survey shows Ire expensive for hols shop

[sheepshagger]

Irish tourists need to plan their packing carefully this year, as it is significantly cheaper to buy some holiday essentials abroad, according to a study released today.

The Visa Europe Suitcase Index compares the cost of 16 popular holiday items including everything from sunglasses to Speedos, across 17 major holiday destinations around the world. The US is the cheapest with all 16 items costing a total of E540. This compares to a total bill of E755 for pre-holiday shopping in Ireland.

The Visa Europe Suitcase Index reveals that there are some real bargains to be found abroad when it comes to stocking up on your holiday essentials. If you're planning to hit the beach and battle for a sun-lounger, the best value pair of Speedos in the world can be found in Germany at E11.99 and the cheapest beach towel can be bought for E5.40 in the Czech Republic. For accessories, the USA is currently best value for Rayban sunglasses (E64) and gadgets (8GB iPod Nano for E102).

Simon Kleine, Visa Europe, said: "The Suitcase Index provides a fascinating glimpse into how the cost of holiday basics really can vary from country to country, so we'd advise taking your time when packing this year. And if you remember to bring your Visa card, you should hopefully be able to replace those essential Speedos as you can use it in over 30 million locations across the world."

When it comes to holiday basics, Irish travelers don't need to worry if they arrive without them in India, where an Oral B toothbrush (80c) and Colgate toothpaste (20c) can be purchased for under E1 and Piz Buin sun cream is just E1.60. However, while the cost of buying a replacement passport is similar in a number of European countries including Ireland, Spain, France and Italy (E145), our UK neighbours pay considerably less (E83).

Long haul travellers jetting off to the Caribbean should pay the most attention to the Index and hope their luggage doesn't go astray, as it is the most expensive place to replace all of the essentials at an overall cost of 162,724 Jamaican Dollars or around E1,295, nearly double the cost of buying all your items in Ireland.

The most expensive items in the Caribbean are a digital Kodak camera at E477 - nearly seven times the cheapest price of the same model in the Czech Republic, and an iPod Nano at E490 - over four times more expensive than the same model in the US.

Tourists spending on souvenirs and in need of an extra suitcase to bring everything back will find the best value in Bulgaria, where a Samsonite suitcase costs E48, nearly one third the price of the same model in Ireland at E142. However Bulgaria is the second most expensive country for replacing all other essentials at a total cost of E927.

http://www.fxcentre.com/news.asp?2453589