UK holidaymakers 'left £1.78bn unspent this year'

British travellers have returned home from foreign holidays with a collective total of £1.78 billion in currency still in their pockets this year, according to a new survey.

The average holidaymaker spends £1,079 on their main break, meaning Britons have splashed out more than £31 billion on their travels in 2009, a study by Santander Cards revealed.

However, nearly three quarters (71 per cent) have come home with unused foreign currency, with the average person returning from their trip with the equivalent of £61 still in their pocket.

More than six out of ten (62 per cent) of travellers said they will save the money until their next overseas jaunt, while 23 per cent converted it straight back into sterling and a generous eight per cent gave it away to charity or friends.

Callum Gibson, director of Santander Cards, said: "While it's not surprising that Britons are returning from foreign holidays with some leftover spending money, the incredible amount of unused foreign currency floating around the nation's homes is quite unexpected.

"When on holiday abroad, it's often more cost efficient for holidaymakers to carry only small amounts of cash."

Some 62 per cent of Britons have been on holiday this year, according to the research, and 48 per cent have visited an overseas destination.

Posted by Andrea, 05 October 2009 15:49

News tags