Brits blow £4bn at airports
Britons left with time and money on their hands at the end of a holiday have spent £4 billion on unplanned airport purchases in the last five years.
And research from Halifax Travel Insurance shows that some £817 million of this is foreign currency spent simply to get rid of it before getting on a plane.
The average Briton abroad has 'dumped' £48 in foreign cash at airports in the last five years, however more than a quarter of a million people have spent over £1,000 on unplanned airport purchases, while close to 50,000 more holidaymakers have frittered away £2,500.
Men are the worst offenders when it comes to ditching cash, spending 65 per cent more foreign currency at airports than women. Men also spend their money on different things, with most of the male currency going on alcohol while women splash out on perfume.
But the spending does not stop once the money is gone - after spending left-over cash, Britons went on to spend another £3.2 billion in travellers cheques, debit and credit cards in the last five years.
When this spending is added to the cash that is 'dumped' at the airports, the average holidaymaker spends £36 on unplanned purchases in airports each year, with men spending 25 per cent more than women.
This is more than the cost of an annual travel insurance policy, Halifax points out.
"With over half of British adults admitting to travelling without travel insurance it appears millions of holidaymakers are throwing away money that could have been invested in insurance to protect them during their trip, choosing instead to buy perfume, alcohol, food and souvenirs," said Vicky Emmott, senior underwriter at Halifax Travel Insurance.
Top ten airport purchases
1 - Perfume/aftershave
2 - Alcohol
3 - Food
4 - Souvenirs
5 - Cigarettes
6 - Books
7 - Cosmetics
8 - CDs
9 - Jewellery
10 - DVDs
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- spending habits ,
- travel insurance
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