The pound has taken a beating in recent months, with much attention focused on its performance against the US dollar. Though it has recovered slightly, £1 currently buys $1.14 – down from $1.37 a year ago. A dose of winter warmth in Florida, or a ski holiday in Colorado, has become a far costlier proposition.
But sterling’s slump is not total. Indeed, it has actually performed remarkably well in recent months against a small number of currencies, providing cost-conscious travellers with a number of intriguing options.
Sri Lanka – up 50%
The Sri Lankan rupee has tumbled in value by 50 per cent against the pound following another year of economic woe that culminated in angry protests and the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his entire cabinet. The situation has stabilised, prompting the Foreign Office to lift a travel advisory that briefly warned against trips to the country, and those who do seek it out for a slice of winter warmth will certainly be welcomed with open arms.
Sarah Marshall, in a recent feature for Telegraph Travel, wrote: “According to hoteliers and operators on the ground, there’s never been a better or more vital time to go to Sri Lanka. Protests have ended, streets are safe, and people are ready to welcome visitors. Currently, the only interruption comes from two-and-a-half-hour power cuts each day – although most hotels have back-up generators.
“Those who do make the effort to visit have a rare opportunity to enjoy the island’s many historical sites (which are all open) without crowds at one of the few places in the world where our currency has increased in value.
“Despite the growing economic gap between tourists and local people, however, there’s no resentment – only a growing eagerness for foreigners to return and get foreign currency flowing back into the economy.”
Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/lists/small-band-countries-where-pound-king-prices-cheap/
Sri Lanka Travel Feneteko