reclaimed its crown from Turkey’s Marmaris in the 2024 Post Office Travel Money Family Holiday Report, produced with Tui.At Sunny Beach, a basket of ten holiday essentials — including meals, drinks and beach necessities — totals just over £110, beating 16 other popular European destinations in the annual cost comparison.
The report also sheds light on families’ spending habits, revealing a worrying trend of budget blowouts. Seventy-three per cent of parents admitted to overspending by an average of 55 per cent on their last foreign getaway. Meals and drinks were the main culprits, with more than nine in ten parents shelling out an average of £378 on dining out and beverages.To put a number on this spending, known as “pester power”, Post Office Travel Money introduced a new Children’s Beach Barometer., such as buckets and spades, inflatables, snorkel sets, ice creams, pedalo rides and waterpark visits, could set a family of four back between £153 and £279 for a week’s holiday.
Marmaris emerged as the cheapest for these extras at £153, while Ibiza topped the chart at a hefty £279.Marmaris takes the crown for the cheapest ice cream, where a familiar brand such as Mars or Magnum will set you back £1.07.With almost three-quarters of families already admitting to busting their budget on recent trips, keeping an eye on small treats could be key to saving while still enjoying all the flavours of a sun-soaked getaway.