Turkish holidays 'offer best value for money'

British holidaymakers wanting to stretch their money should head to Turkey's Mediterranean tourist spots. Suffering from galloping inflation, Turkey offers the best value for money holiday destination, a new survey reveals.

British holidaymakers wanting to stretch their money should head to Turkey's Mediterranean tourist spots. Suffering from galloping inflation, Turkey offers the best value for money holiday destination, a new survey reveals.

Ten typical tourist purchases cost £47.30 in Turkey, while the same items would set travellers back £67.89 in Florida. Deckchair hire in Turkey is £1 a day, but in Italy it costs £5.78, according to the survey by American Express. The only thing to avoid in Turkey is suncream which, at £8, is the most expensive in the survey.

The survey covered nine popular destinations for British tourists ­ France, Spain, Italy, Florida, Greece, Germany, Portugal, Holland and Turkey.

Portugal has the cheapest beer (43p) and France the dearest (£2.15), while Holland has the cheapest 24-shot film (£1.46) and Florida the most expensive (£3.93). The price of a cup of coffee varies from 35p in Portugal to £1.31 in Greece. A main meal for two with wine costs £17.33 in Spain but as much as £35.97 in Germany. A Coke in Turkey is 40p, but £1.47 in France.

The best place to hire a car is Spain, where a three-day hire with unlimited mileage costs £76.82. The dearest car hire is Florida (£188.71).

John Howells, UK director for American Express Foreign Exchange, said: "Sterling is strong at the moment and British holidaymakers will have more foreign currency to spend abroad.

"This is particularly valuable to people on a self-catering holiday who will have to spend more on food and drink."