A recent article from The Telegraph has offered a potential ray of sunshine to British travellers trying to sort out where to visit next in the wake of recent currency fluctuations. In the piece, titled ‘20 destinations that are still better value for Britons,’ writer Hazel Plush points out that, as of the time of writing, the pound sterling is still well up versus its position in 2008, and only slightly worse off (by about 15 Euro cents) than six months ago.
For holidaymakers, this means that despite the occasionally dire-sounding headlines, there are still places where a Brit can travel without breaking the bank. And in good news for those who want to travel further north, the pound actually goes further in Norway, Sweden and Canada than in 2013.
In Norway, where the cost of living in Oslo is already 9% less expensive than London, changing sterling to Krone will now net you 22% more than three years ago—an increase of £90 for every £500 that you exchange.
Sweden is a notoriously pricey place to visit most of the time, but for British travellers, the Krona can now be acquired for 11% less, meaning that for every £500 you change, you’ll receive £49 more. What’s more, according to one exchange calculator, the cost of living in Stockholm is (as of the time of writing) 22% less expensive than in London.
Canada is also up in value against 2013, which is good news for British travellers looking for a long-haul getaway. The Canadian dollar offers 9% more value at the moment, which means Brits exchanging from sterling will receive £40 more for every £500 changed.
It’s possible to find good value travel opportunities even in the middle of the changing currency situation. So while it may be tempting to sit and wait out this wave of fluctuations, you may not have to—rather, you could choose to do what we do best, keep calm and carry on.
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