Post by artisans on Dec 26, 2008 13:42:17 GMT 2
As the exchange rate between sterling and the euro continues to slide, ABTA have announced that holidays to Turkey are increasing as it is still outside the eurozone. It is an understandable knee-jerk reaction as tourists try to ensure better value in the face of recession, but just how much will they save?
Visitors to Turkey are advised to take currency from their own country but the opportunites for exchange are less than clear. First of all, you need to carry your passport around with you as other forms of ID are not acceptable. There are numerous people who will exchange your money but their rates vary widely and many banks are not interested at all. The preferred cash being traded is the euro or the US dollar, the rates do vary accordingly and the value of the Turkish Lire is always changing. If you decide to take travellers cheques, you need to keep receipts or you will not be able to change money back at the end of your stay. Hotels will often change travellers cheques but the rates are usually poor. If you use your credit card in Turkey, beware, as fraud is rampant. Some visitors even notify their banks when travelling there, as credit card charges from Turkey ring alarm bells back at home.
When all said and done, travelling with cash is risky with commissions to be accounted for at home, or when converting to lire in Turkey, and when changing back again later. Opportunities for exchanging travellers cheques are variable to say the least, rates vary wildly, credit card fraud is rife and currency value is fluctuating.
The euro rate in mainland Europe may be less favourable than it was, but you have to wonder if you will actually spend, or lose, more money by sticking to Corfu. Whatever the rate of the euro, a Nationwide Flexaccount in a Greek ATM will give you the maximum rate for your money, no hassle, no charges & no delay. I suspect that you will still have more to spend in Corfu and you won't have to deal with the problems of being tricked into paying £400 for a shirt, as one Roda regular was.
Visitors to Turkey are advised to take currency from their own country but the opportunites for exchange are less than clear. First of all, you need to carry your passport around with you as other forms of ID are not acceptable. There are numerous people who will exchange your money but their rates vary widely and many banks are not interested at all. The preferred cash being traded is the euro or the US dollar, the rates do vary accordingly and the value of the Turkish Lire is always changing. If you decide to take travellers cheques, you need to keep receipts or you will not be able to change money back at the end of your stay. Hotels will often change travellers cheques but the rates are usually poor. If you use your credit card in Turkey, beware, as fraud is rampant. Some visitors even notify their banks when travelling there, as credit card charges from Turkey ring alarm bells back at home.
When all said and done, travelling with cash is risky with commissions to be accounted for at home, or when converting to lire in Turkey, and when changing back again later. Opportunities for exchanging travellers cheques are variable to say the least, rates vary wildly, credit card fraud is rife and currency value is fluctuating.
The euro rate in mainland Europe may be less favourable than it was, but you have to wonder if you will actually spend, or lose, more money by sticking to Corfu. Whatever the rate of the euro, a Nationwide Flexaccount in a Greek ATM will give you the maximum rate for your money, no hassle, no charges & no delay. I suspect that you will still have more to spend in Corfu and you won't have to deal with the problems of being tricked into paying £400 for a shirt, as one Roda regular was.