1 €URO 90P ?????

i wonder how this will affect forthcoming villa/apartment rentals not just in the algarve but thru-out europe , people just wont be able too afford holidays

Work colleagues of my wife have just got back from their pre christmas break in the Algarve which they have taken for the past 4 years.

They won,t be going next year, they found it just too expensive compared to last year, They also commented on the large number of bars and restaraunts that were closed.
They chose early december for a budget break but it is no longer the case .

Its a lot cheaper than London,i can assure you

Given that the quid against the euro doesn't look like it's gonna bounce back any time soon does anyone with any knowledge of the Algarve economy think that the bars and restaurants will start to drop their prices or offer deals to try to keep em coming?

Or are there already signs of it....(I haven't been out for a few months)?

I'd have thought that they must have decent margins considering that food and booze can be quite a bit cheaper out of town so won't they just have to do what everyone else is doing to keep business coming - be cheaper?!

Out where we are the bars & restaurants are considerably cheaper but then so are the rents & rates they have to pay.

I do not know what the bars etc will do but the real shock is when you start to compare the prices in the supermarkets.

For those who insist or prefer to buy UK branded products the costs are prohibitive.

In Intermarche today Mcvities choc digestive £2.50 for a small pack almost 40% more expensive than the portuguese product.

If you want to save money and try something different chose the local products over your usual choice.

You will be helping the Portuguese economy as well.

Good point by EMM - local produce is always cheaper. Same for beer and wines - if you drink Portuguese beer, its inevitably cheaper than the UK imported stuff or Guiness (and tastes better than Tetleys, John Smiths etc)

For once, I'm one of the lucky ones - I booked early and got a half-decent exchange rate of 1.20 euros to the pound. Although this has meant an extra £120 a week from the years before, its cheaper than now. Additionally, I used to have to pay for 5 of us, now its just the 2 of us, so I can still go nuts and it shouldn't cost anymore than normal. I look forward to helping the local economy in July

WE have to pay $1.73 per the Euro. It has never been this high either - usually about $1.41 + or -Won't be eating out quite so often this year.

I know the value of the pound/euro is going to make Portuguese holidays more expensive but i think if the alternative was a couple of weeks in Carv. or a couple of weeks in Cornwall for example, I know where I would be, and it would not be St Ives(beautiful as it is/was) or Torquay

Even with parity in exchange rates we would not be tempted to holiday in Britain other than a weekend break. The one overriding reason being virtually guaranteed weather abroad! Also a couple of weeks at a half decent hotel at a British resort is still often dearer than a package or do-it-yourself holiday to the Algarve or other popular destinations.

There is no doubt that the hitherto cheaper prices on the Algarve were a bonus, but we can live with the modest increases.

We have never been part of the 'must have British' brigade. Quite happy with Sagres, local wine, local biscuits, local jams, etc.

I can never understand folks who must have Boddingtons, McVities, Robertsons, HP sauce, Heinz beans, Danish bacon, etc.

Perhaps it's different if you become a resident - but as tourists we're quite happy to try local brands for a change.

TomUK wrote:...We have never been part of the 'must have British' brigade. Quite happy with Sagres, local wine, local biscuits, local jams, etc.

I can never understand folks who must have Boddingtons, McVities, Robertsons, HP sauce, Heinz beans, Danish bacon, etc. ...

I agree. When in Rome . . . .

As residents, we love the local food here and on the very odd occasion fancy something English,one thing I have noticed, when I came to live here last June, at Pingo Doce, a tin of Heinz Baked Beans was 99 cents, today I paid 1.39 Euros (and this is only because my daughter hasn't been too well and just fancied Beans on Toast for her tea) - that is some hike in price. Have now bought some dried beans and will be making my own (they taste better anyway).

I think the rate of exchange will definitely have a knock on effect on tourism, we are certainly thinking twice about our usual trip in June.

I'm not sure if this is really too relevant to this post but FairFX are offering Euro 1.10 to the pound at present on their pre-charged debit card. I know this has been discussed on the forum before - the card is available free through Matalan's site.
It's nice to see things moving a bit in the pound's favour (on the face of it at least). What puzzles me is why M&S. Co-op Travel and Amex are all offering 1 to 1 when clearly FairFX can do a lot better. I've not seen a differential of more than 4 0r 5 cents since I got my card.