Don't cut corners on travel insurance warns FCO

As British tourists see the costs of travelling abroad rise in 2011 and look for ways to keep costs down, the Foreign Office warns travellers to be prepared and not to cut corners on travel insurance.

In a report published by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), three quarters of travellers believe that getting the greatest value for money is either essential or important.

One way of keeping costs down is to travel to destinations that are outside the Eurozone where we can get more for our money. The report predicts that Turkey and Egypt will continue to be popular destinations, and increasingly so will Tunisia, Syria and Abu Dhabi. In these types of mid-haul destinations, where cultures can be very different from our own, it is important to be prepared. A little knowledge about the local laws or customs can go a long way if things don't go exactly to plan when you're away. For up to date travel advice on your holiday destination visit the FCO website.

Another way people keep costs to a minimum is to stay with friends or relatives abroad, rather than in hotels. In this type of situation it's easy to overlook the importance of travel insurance. But, as the FCO warns, travel insurance is important to avoid the risk of you or your family being billed thousands of pounds for medical treatment abroad if you fall ill or have an accident.

Increased costs could hit travellers in 2011

Airport departure tax went up in November last year, but that's not the only increased tax that tourists could be hit by in 2011 as popular holiday destinations around the world look to increase their revenue from tourism.

Visitors to the historic city of Rome are set to be hit by a new tax on tourism from the 1st January as the local municipality puts a new levy on hotel stays.

All visitors are now asked to pay a per-person per-night tax on the first ten nights of their stay in Rome. Tourists staying in one to three star hotels will be charged €2 per night, while those in four or five star hotels will be expected to pay €3.

Travellers to the Maldives, could also see prices rise after the government introduced a 3.5% tax on tourism.

Some of these extra costs may not be immediately apparent when you are planning a holiday, so it is important to do your research before you book. It is possible to save money by avoiding destinations where the cost of living is expensive, or destinations with extra taxes, but where ever you choose to go it is important to be prepared, do your research before you travel and buy adequate travel insurance.

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