 "Spanish restaurant Brindisa")
If you were planning to leave out London from your European holiday, you can include it now. With the rupee gaining by almost 10% against the pound sterling a holiday to United Kingdom will be cheaper by the same extent.
Those who have already booked holiday packages to the UK, but not paid for land costs-accommodation, local travel and sight-seeing also stand to gain as these will also be cheaper now. That is why if you are planning to book a holiday now, it is advisable to pay for the entire package upfront — airfares plus land costs — to avoid currency fluctuations in the future, says Chirag Agrawal, Destination Strategist — Europe, TravelTriangle, an online travel marketplace.
“Trips to England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland will be cheaper now by about 10%. Since the euro has not moved much against the Indian rupee, there will not much change in packages to European destinations,” he says.
Most Indian travelers book on Middle Eastern or European airlines because these are cheaper than British airlines. If that is the case, there may not be much impact on airfares.
While booking a package, some travel companies give the option of paying only for air tickets upfront and paying for the land component closer to the date of travel. If you have availed of that option, you stand to gain as hotel rates, local sight-seeing and travel will now be cheaper. Shopping in London will also be easier on your pocket now. But if you have already paid for your entire holiday package, you will not get a refund, since the exchange rate is calculated on the date of payment.
“We have got the revised rates from our vendors and we will be communicating them with our customers soon. Our advice would be to book now and pay the entire amount upfront. You can save on costs in case the pound strengthens in the future,’’ Agrawal says.
An all-inclusive seven day package to the UK which was Rs 1.1 lakh is now cheaper by Rs 5000-6000. And a 10 days package that was Rs 1.4 lakh is now cheaper by Rs 7,000-8000.
Most travelers plan their holidays 40-45 days in advance. But if you are booking now, give yourself at least two weeks before traveling, which is the time required for visa processing, Agrawal adds.
The long-term impact of Brexit could be that free travel between Europe and UK may be tougher now.
“Until now if you were traveling between European cities on train, all you needed to show was your visa. But now Indian travelers could be asked to show other documents as proof, such as ID proof, etc. Be prepared for this," Agrawal says.
Travelers are unlikely to face problems due to riots or any other political unrest because that has not been the case historically in Europe. “Even when Greece was facing political unrest, tourists did not face any problem. So, it is unlikely that those going to the UK will face any problem," Agrawal adds.
