Holidaymakers spend more than £500 before they leave the country

British travellers spend as much money before they leave the country on holiday as they do while they are away, research has revealed.

It has been found that Brits spend an average of £532 before they leave the country, on holiday products and services. This includes spending on new clothes and accessories, toiletries and cameras, as well as a collective £1.8 billion on duty free products.

“Part of the excitement of going away on holiday is about the preparation,” said Victoria Bacon, Head of Communications at ABTA, which carried out the research. “For many holidaymakers, splashing out some of their budget on a new summer wardrobe, buying a few new books and magazines and getting their duty free at the airport are all part of the experience.”

Despite economic turmoil putting a strain on people’s finances, it seems that most of us don’t mind dipping into our savings for a holiday. Each year, holidaymakers spend a total of more than £30 billion in the UK alone. “Add to this all of the jobs that are supported in travel agents, at airports and in shops and it is clear that the outbound travel sector makes a very important contribution to the UK economy,” said Ms Bacon.

“This demonstrates conclusively that going abroad on holiday is good for British business,” she added. ABTA is hopeful that the research will highlight the need to reduce Airport Passenger Duty (APD), which it argues is damaging the travel industry and therefore the UK economy as a whole. “For too long it has been assumed that by going abroad on holiday, money is being taken out of the UK economy,” said Mark Tanzer, chief executive of ABTA. “This report proves conclusively that the foreign holiday market is an essential component of a healthy and dynamic UK economy.”

If you are going away on holiday this year, remember to take out travel insurance before you leave. While a policy could be seen as another expense, it can be invaluable should you have an accident or be the victim of crime while away.

British travellers spend as much money before they leave the country on holiday as they do while they are away, research has revealed.

It has been found that Brits spend an average of £532 before they leave the country, on holiday products and services. This includes spending on new clothes and accessories, toiletries and cameras, as well as a collective £1.8 billion on duty free products.

“Part of the excitement of going away on holiday is about the preparation,” said Victoria Bacon, Head of Communications at ABTA, which carried out the research. “For many holidaymakers, splashing out some of their budget on a new summer wardrobe, buying a few new books and magazines and getting their duty free at the airport are all part of the experience.”

Despite economic turmoil putting a strain on people’s finances, it seems that most of us don’t mind dipping into our savings for a holiday. Each year, holidaymakers spend a total of more than £30 billion in the UK alone. “Add to this all of the jobs that are supported in travel agents, at airports and in shops and it is clear that the outbound travel sector makes a very important contribution to the UK economy,” said Ms Bacon.

“This demonstrates conclusively that going abroad on holiday is good for British business,” she added. ABTA is hopeful that the research will highlight the need to reduce Airport Passenger Duty (APD), which it argues is damaging the travel industry and therefore the UK economy as a whole. “For too long it has been assumed that by going abroad on holiday, money is being taken out of the UK economy,” said Mark Tanzer, chief executive of ABTA. “This report proves conclusively that the foreign holiday market is an essential component of a healthy and dynamic UK economy.”

If you are going away on holiday this year, remember to take out travel insurance before you leave. While a policy could be seen as another expense, it can be invaluable should you have an accident or be the victim of crime while away.

Date Created: 30/05/2012