Despite the weakened Pound, the Euro and the US Dollar continue to be the top currencies for UK travellers, according to the latest figures from ICE (International Currency Exchange).
| Top 20 selling Currencies |
% of currency volume |
| Euro |
35.2% |
| US Dollar |
22.3% |
| Australian Dollar |
13.2% |
| Thai Baht |
4.9% |
| Canadian Dollar |
3.5% |
| Czech Koruna |
3.0% |
| New Zealand Dollar |
2.8% |
| Polish Zloty |
1.9% |
| South African Rand |
1.8% |
| Brazilian Real |
1.8% |
| Singapore Dollar |
1.6% |
| Swiss Francs |
1.4% |
| Bulgarian Lev |
1.4% |
| Chinese Yuan |
1.2% |
| Mexican Peso |
0.9% |
| Hong Kong Dollar |
0.7% |
| Kenyan Shilling |
0.7% |
| Russian Ruble |
0.5% |
| Philippine Peso |
0.5% |
| UAE Dirham |
0.5% |
|
As the snow falls across the UK, ICE reveals the top 20 currencies for travellers in January. "The top four currencies remain unchanged in January, while the number of orders received on our online currency service is up 28% compared to December 2008", confirmed Andrew Hamilton, Head of Marketing for ICE. "New entries include the Russian Rouble and Philippine Peso at 18 and 19 respectively in our top 20. Plus, the Australian Dollar continues to soar, up 23%, after a 40% increase last month, proving that many travellers are snatching some winter sun down under, despite the economic climate."
Other frontrunners include the Polish Zloty, which is up 67%, followed by the Brazilian Real up 50% on December. Thailand remains firmly in the top four with an increase of 26%, alongside the Euro in the top spot, up 20%. Singapore Dollar orders, traditionally popular for business travellers, were up 77% moving from 20th to 11th position in January.
In contrast, the South African Rand saw a drop of 81% in January, moving from fifth to ninth place. Mexican Peso orders fell out of favour by 26%, while the UAE Dirham dropped by 48% down to 20th spot. Even the US Dollar saw a minor 1% drop, but this couldn't shake it from the number two spot.
Hamilton concludes, "The Euro may be strong, but our figures show that short haul destinations inside the euro-zone are still a big pull for many UK travellers. However, it's interesting to see currency orders for Russian Roubles, Philippine Pesos, Brazilian Real and Singapore Dollars increasing, suggesting that people are looking for better value and new experiences."
"We advise holidaymakers to shop around for the best rates before picking their holiday destination, as local, day-to-day costs mount up and could cancel out a bargain flight. Savvy travellers should buy their foreign currency before they go to ensure they get the best exchange rate and avoid additional charges incurred on credit cards and by getting money from ATMs at their destination."
Simply log on to www.iceplc.com, select the currency and see the actual exchange rate, then choose free home delivery for orders of £300 or over, no queues, no fuss. From traveller's cheques to foreign currency, ICE delivers the ultimate online exchange service at minimum cost and maximum convenience. In addition, the new ICE Travellers cashcard Prepaid MasterCard allows holidaymakers to put their spending money on a pre-paid, PIN protected card, offering protection from theft and fraud.
