A one-week trip to the country would thus cost 315 pounds or 379 euros more than expected, summarised Helsingin Sanomat. Travel and Tour World made special mention of the high cost of food, alcoholic beverages and accommodation services in Finland. Indeed, alcohol prices in the country are the highest in the EU, exceeding the bloc-wide average by 102 per cent, according to a study by the European Commission.
The survey does not indicate whether the overspending is the result of inaccurate expectations regarding price levels or spending opportunities. Finland was followed on the list by Mexico and Egypt. In Mexico, travellers exceeded their budget by an average of 47 euros due to factors such as the stronger peso and increase in luxury travel to the country.
In Egypt, travellers budgeted an average of 25 euros per day but ended up spending 68 euros per day. The top ten was rounded out by Norway, Japan, Tunisia, Morocco, Austria, Czechia and Thailand. Travel and Tour World highlighted that many destinations that have traditionally been regarded as budget friendly have become more expensive, meaning the reality for travellers may no longer match the reputation developed decades earlier.
British travellers were the least likely to go over budget in Barbados, Hong Kong and Luxembourg, the survey also found. Aleksi Teivainen – HT.