The simple holiday swaps that could save you more than £2,000 this half term

HOLIDAY experts have revealed how you could save more than £2,000 on a holiday, by making a simple destination swap.

It can be much cheaper to visit lesser known places, even though they still offer more or less the same experience as the more popular holiday hotspots

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So, ahead of the upcoming half-term break, M&S Travel Money explained how much families could bank by considering budget-saving alternative destinations.

Their biggest savings came in the Greek islands, with Corfu offering much cheaper deals than trips to Heraklion in Crete.

Both Islands are quite similar in that they’re both surrounded by azure blue seas and offer white sandy beaches.

However, the M&S research revealed that a break in the city of Corfu this half-term came in at more than £500 less per person than Heraklion.

That works out at a saving of £2,147 for a family of four, or £782 vs £1,319 per person. 

There are also deals to be found for families looking to travel further afield, in places like Florida.

By switching a trip Miami for a holiday in Orlando, they could save more than £1,000 per family, or £255 per person (£1194 vs £1449pp).

More deals can be found closer to home, including in Brit holiday favourite, Spain.

By choosing to visit Barcelona, families could save nearly £300, compared to a trip to Palma, the capital of Spanish island, Mallorca, with individual savings of more than £70.

Or if you’re considering a trip to Cyprus, looking at Larnaca over popular Paphos could see you save almost £279 for a family break over the course of the week.

Flights to Larnaca are £375 cheaper than Paphos. 

Families searching for a holiday just across the channel in France, could make significant savings with another city break.

By swapping a beach holiday to Nice for a week in the country’s capital, Paris, holidaymakers could not only save £202 per family, but also nearly halve their flight time.

Flights from London to Paris take around one hour 20 minutes, while the longer trip to Nice takes more than two hours.

Nic Moran, from M&S Travel Money, said: “We understand how important it is that families make the most of their holiday budget this half-term and our research shows that by making some simple swaps, families could save thousands, while still enjoying the culture and cuisine they are looking for, in the country they would like to visit.”

For those wanting to get a foreign holiday experience, without having to head abroad, there are places in the UK that have been listed as great holiday swap destinations.

Many Brits head to the south of France for an adventure holiday, such as to Ardeche, which is known for its forests and hiking trails.

However, the Forest of Dean & Wye Valley offers 45 miles of river and 42 square miles of ancient forest to explore for holidaymakers.

Elsewhere, UK tourists flock to Spain every year for its great beaches – despite the UK having some award winning ones of their own.

One example can be found in Pembrokeshire, with its very own Barafundle Bay named the best beach in the world in recent years.

Meanwhile, this amazing UK beach has been compared to more exotic ones in South East Asia.

And this island named the British Galapagos is home to sharks and even Wallabies.

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