Cash is king for holidaymakers, survey shows
Some 44% of consumers polled said they use cash more on foreign trips, compared with 7% who said they use it less.
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
People are more likely to pay for items with cash when they are on holiday overseas compared with when they are in the UK, a new survey suggests.
Some 44% of consumers polled said they use cash more on foreign trips, compared with 7% who said they use it less.
The most common reason given for using cash instead of card on holiday is that it is the only form of payment accepted at the destinations they are visiting (44%).
Having foreign currency makes for a more convenient, stress-free holiday
Other reasons are to help manage how much they spend while away (37%), to avoid bank charges and ATM fees (28%), and fears over card details being stolen (21%).
Abta recommends that people take some cash with them on holiday so they know they can pay for things if needed without having to resort to ATM withdrawals, which often incur hefty charges.
It warned that consumers face fees of between two euros (£1.66) and six euros (£4.98) every time they take out cash from a machine when visiting countries such as Spain, Greece and Italy, with currency conversion charges added on top.
In some destinations such as Germany, cash is more widely accepted in bars and restaurants than credit or debit cards.
Abta director of communications Graeme Buck said: “For many travelling abroad, our research suggests that cash is still king when it comes to spending on holiday.
“Standard payment types vary from country to country, so it is essential to make sure you take enough travel money as you may find you need, or prefer, to pay with cash.
“Having foreign currency makes for a more convenient, stress-free holiday.”
– The nationally representative survey of 2,060 UK adults was conducted online by research company YouGov across June 27 and 28.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.