Thailand still regarded as 'value' destination.

[Wisdom]

In London Times, in 'money' section, article 'The 10 cheapest countries to holiday......and the 10 priciest'. Over here, often Thailand cited by travel 'experts' as good place to visit, still, despite value decrease of pound/baht, and recent political troubles. Below is average price of a basket of holiday goods, the ten best countries, and 10 worst. Thailand does well, Issan would do better of course, as Thai average taken for article.

1 Hungary £31.46. 1573baht
2 Czeck R. £31.49 1574baht
3 THAILAND £38.65 1932baht
4 S. Africa £43.27 2163baht
5 Malaysia £44.71 2235baht
6 Turkey £49.71 2485baht
7 Bulgaria £49.37 2493baht
8 Kenya £51.45 2572baht
9 Croatia £57.26 2863baht
10. Spain £61.73 3086baht

And 10 priciest:

1 Barbados £152.52 7626baht
2 Mexico £96.76 4838baht
3 Brazil £78.02 3901baht
4 Australia £77.84 3892baht
5 Italy £76.09 3804baht
6 USA £75.24 3762baht
7 Canada £73.79 3689baht
8 Portugal £73.67 3683baht
9 NZ £73.53 3675baht
10 Cyprus £73.32 3666baht

Holiday basket includes, coffee, beer, coca cola, mineral water, suncream, insect repellent, 3 course meal in restaurant with wine. So, Thailand still good value, and as you get more baht for your pound/dollar as time goes by, will get better!

[aznyron]

Hungary £31.46. 1573baht
2 Czeck R. £31.49 1574baht
3 THAILAND £38.65 1932baht------------------------------------
4 S. Africa £43.27 2163baht
5 Malaysia £44.71 2235baht
6 Turkey £49.71 2485baht
7 Bulgaria £49.37 2493baht
8 Kenya £51.45 2572baht
9 Croatia £57.26 2863baht
10. Spain £61.73 3086baht---------------------------------------

I see only only two countries worth visiting the rest are JOKES and I am sure some one got paid to list those idiotic countries

[beer monkey]

I think each country would have something to offer for the visitor....and i see you won't go Hungry in Hungary.

[arjay]

That assumes that there are people who feel secure enough in their jobs and who dare risk their savings/remaining reduced assets, to take holidays at all, let alone holidays further afield.

Also, though Thailand is at the cheaper end of the list, due to the dramatic fall in sterling, Thailand along with most other countries will in effect be some 25%+ dearer than a year ago.

My friends and family in the Uk say it's really grim back there, with jobs cuts, job losses, reduced working etc. As discussed under the deflation topic, people draw their horns in under such circumstances.

I also hear from friends in Phuket that tourist numbers are down dramatically, hotels and other businesses are laying off staff, those on commission have no customers/buyers and are in difficulty, and there are plenty of unsold and unrented rooms and properties. Altogether an "Izzix topic" scenario.

[westerby]

That assumes that there are people who feel secure enough in their jobs and who dare risk their savings/remaining reduced assets, to take holidays at all, let alone holidays further afield.

Yeah, the depth of this Recession will become evident this Summer and Thailand will be a good scenario for the reasons you've identified. There will always be single men travelling to this destination but it'll be the lack of tourist families that will be an effective indication of how bad things are. I think the downturn will hit the top end hotels, not necessarily the cheaper places that the regular male visitors patronise. On another note, interesting how you're getting reports that it's pear shaped over here (which it is) yet my company and others involved in Defence Aerospace are working at maximum capacity because Afghanistan and Iraq are in full swing. We still can't get enough engineers.

[izzix]

yes its all relative as they say , theres 1000s of new jobs for hamburger flippers and pitza makers coming along ,and 8000 new windtrubines to be installed ! plus new jobs

and http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of- ... ion-533524


Future tech News
UK Skylon space-plane receives cash injection
'Breathing' rocket helped out by European Space Agency

Thursday at 08:41 GMT
the-skylon-one-step-closer-to-creation

The Skylon - one step closer to creation

ZoomZoom

<>

New space technology, which could revolutionise how space shuttles get into space, has received significant investment from the European Space Agency.

The Skylon, which uses Sabre rocket technology, is a UK innovation created by Reaction Engines, alongside researchers and engineers from EADS Astrium, the University of Bristol and DLR, the German aerospace centre.

Breathable rocket

The ESA has confirmed it has given a £900,000 boost to Reaction Engines, bringing the total money received to £6 million.

The company hopes to demonstrate its rocket's horizontal take-off by 2011, with it fully functional in 10 years' time.

The rocket has been 'coined' as breathable, as it burns hydrogen and oxygen to provide thrust.

Lord Drayson, the UK minister for science and innovation, was very pleased with the news: "It is fantastic that Reaction Engines, the British National Space Centre and ESA have successfully secured this public-private partnership arrangement," he said.

Reaction Engines managing director Alan Bond was equally happy, commenting: "Years of research on Skylon and its Sabre engine mean we have an inside track on realising [our] goal."
By Marc Chacksfield

[Wisdom]

aznyron writes regaeding top ten holiday countries: I see only two countries worth visiting the rest are JOKES and i am sure someone got paid to list those idiotic countries.

The list is based from a UK perspective. Spain, and you agree is major destination. Turkey is booming as tourist area, helped by being out the eurozone. Bulgaria and Croatia feature in most popular brochures. Kenya is an upmarket holday spot, and South Africa is meant to be one of the best destinations in the world for tourists, as long as you can avoid being murdered of course! Malaysia is Thailand without the girls and popular, and Hungary has Budapest a major city break. The Czeck Republic might not seem obviously up there but Prague its capital and has more brit stag/hen nights than you could swing a stick at.

The list was in the Times, not a joke paper! Perhaps if in the Sport, ten places to get your leg over, that'd be more a joke, although maybe quite interesting too!

[WBU ALUM]

aznyron writes regaeding top ten holiday countries: I see only two countries worth visiting the rest are JOKES and i am sure someone got paid to list those idiotic countries.

The list is based from a UK perspective. Spain, and you agree is major destination. Turkey is booming as tourist area, helped by being out the eurozone. Bulgaria and Croatia feature in most popular brochures. Kenya is an upmarket holday spot, and South Africa is meant to be one of the best destinations in the world for tourists, as long as you can avoid being murdered of course! Malaysia is Thailand without the girls and popular, and Hungary has Budapest a major city break. The Czeck Republic might not seem obviously up there but Prague its capital and has more brit stag/hen nights than you could swing a stick at.

The list was in the Times, not a joke paper! Perhaps if in the Sport, ten places to get your leg over, that'd be more a joke, although maybe quite interesting too!

Phil, that was a very enlightening report, and I can certainly see some value in visiting many of those destinations. There are some beautiful locations there.

Thanks for posting! Cheers!

[arjay]

Phil, that was a very enlightening report, and I can certainly see some value in visiting many of those destinations. There are some beautiful locations there.

Thanks for posting! Cheers

Yes I too agree.

It was interesting (surprising) to see Portugal climbing in the pricier list. It has great beaches and golfing. It is well above Spain in costs now then?

I can understand the Eastern European destinations being at the budget end. Also they don't have so many beaches between them.

I was puzzled why there weren't more "Far East" destinations mentioned, in particular Bali. Surely that is still a popular and inexpensive long haul destination (from the UK).

[BobHelm]

I haven't been to either Hungary or Czech Republic - if I was still in UK I would certainly consider going to both. Have been to Bulgaria, Turkey, Croatia (but it was called Yugoslavia then ) and Spain and would consider all of them very good value family holidays - especially if you have young children with you.
South Africa/Kenya is really for the more adult holidaymaker and I will (personally) worry about SA because of the general crime rate in the country. One of the delights (for me) of seeing a new country is to be able to wander about unaided - something I would be wary of in SA & so would certainly detract from what it has to offer.
I am a little surprised that somewhere like Cuba hasn't made it onto the list though.
My only complaint about the list is that it does not factor in the cost of getting there, which does have an impact.

[rufus]

Hungary £31.46. 1573baht
2 Czeck R. £31.49 1574baht
3 THAILAND £38.65 1932baht------------------------------------
4 S. Africa £43.27 2163baht
5 Malaysia £44.71 2235baht
6 Turkey £49.71 2485baht
7 Bulgaria £49.37 2493baht
8 Kenya £51.45 2572baht
9 Croatia £57.26 2863baht
10. Spain £61.73 3086baht---------------------------------------

I see only only two countries worth visiting the rest are JOKES and I am sure some one got paid to list those idiotic countries

Only 2 Ron, you are kidding.
Hungary is great
Czech Republic is beautiful, especially Prague.
What about Malaysia, Turkey - ever been to Istanbul or Pammukelee ? Spain isn't too bad either.

Thats 6 out of 10. I believe Bulgaria is very beautiful on the coast as well.

[LoongLee]

I'm not sure I'm reading the lists right. I just don't understand the reasoning. It wasn't supposed to include airfare was it? The placement of Mexico on the "priceist" list seems completely bonkers and to not include the Philipines on the more economical list mystifies me. What say the rest of you?

[aznyron]

rufus I have been to Malaysia (Penang) yes it was nice but it a muslim country so you are subjected to there laws which I find not suitable to me or most people Turkey is also a Muslim country and Croatia
had a war with the serbs who are muslims so I understand now as the you said I have never been there and I never heard any thing positive about them

[arjay]

LL, as Phil pointed out earlier it was a listing from a major UK newspaper about places where Brits holiday regularly - i.e. major/popular holiday destinations from the UK. I had initially thought why didn't they include the PI's myself, but then realised they are not a location where many Brits holiday, nor is Malaysia.

And no it doesn't reflect the cost of getting there.

[Galee]

Hungary £31.46. 1573baht
2 Czeck R. £31.49 1574baht
3 THAILAND £38.65 1932baht------------------------------------
4 S. Africa £43.27 2163baht
5 Malaysia £44.71 2235baht
6 Turkey £49.71 2485baht
7 Bulgaria £49.37 2493baht
8 Kenya £51.45 2572baht
9 Croatia £57.26 2863baht
10. Spain £61.73 3086baht---------------------------------------

I see only only two countries worth visiting the rest are JOKES and I am sure some one got paid to list those idiotic countries

Sorry Ron, I see 9 countries worth visiting. The only joke country on that list is No 3.

[old-timer]

not include the Philipines on the more economical list mystifies me. What say the rest of you?

yes i thought the same, the philipines is the same if not cheaper than thailand, but this survey was done in england and you don't see the holiday packages to the philipines so much from the uk - that's my theory.

[arjay]

yes i thought the same, the philipines is the same if not cheaper than thailand, but this survey was done in england and you don't see the holiday packages to the philipines so much from the uk - that's my theory

....which is what I thought I said 2 posts above:-

LL, as Phil pointed out earlier it was a listing from a major UK newspaper about places where Brits holiday regularly - i.e. major/popular holiday destinations from the UK. I had initially thought why didn't they include the PI's myself, but then realised they are not a location where many Brits holiday, nor is Malaysia.

PI's = Phillipine Islands

[old-timer]

yes i thought the same, the philipines is the same if not cheaper than thailand, but this survey was done in england and you don't see the holiday packages to the philipines so much from the uk - that's my theory

....which is what I thought I said 2 posts above:-

LL, as Phil pointed out earlier it was a listing from a major UK newspaper about places where Brits holiday regularly - i.e. major/popular holiday destinations from the UK. I had initially thought why didn't they include the PI's myself, but then realised they are not a location where many Brits holiday, nor is Malaysia.

PI's = Phillipine Islands

sorry arjay, completely my fault, i should have read the entire thread - but didn't - i've just given myself a good smack in the gob