Cheap flight comparison site Skyscanner asked 1500 people in the UK to participate in a survey in order to determine which of the world’s popular vacation destinations they considered to be the most expensive.

Respondents were asked to rate 30 destinations as: very expensive, expensive, neither, cheap or very cheap.

The results were very encouraging for North American destinations, with the US being seen by prospective travelers as being one of the more affordable destinations. When looking for flights to New York, Vegas flight deals and flights to other well-known US tourism hot-spots, based on perception UK travelers rated the US as the 20th (out of 30) most expensive vacation destination while neighboring Canada was placed at 13; being perceived by Brits as a bit more expensive than the US.

Based on traveler perception, the top-10, most expensive countries were:

1. Sweden
2. Norway
3. Switzerland
4. Denmark
5. Dubai
6. Iceland
7. Japan
8. Italy
9. France
10. Germany

Once Skyscanner considered the actual cost* of travel to both countries, the gap narrowed considerably: the US moved into position 17, Canada to 11.

Without taking flights into account, and based on seven days of travel, this actual cost calculation places the top most expensive countries as:

1. France
2. Switzerland
3. Denmark
4. Brazil
5. Russia
6. Japan
7. Italy
8. Spain
9. Iceland
10. Mexico

Add in the cost of flights, the US then moves to the 13th, Canada to 10th most expensive vacation destination, respectively.

Scot Carlson, Skyscanner’s US and Canadian Country Manager says: “This is good news for US Destination Marketers who can use these travelers’ perceptions to help position their destinations as ‘affordable’ alternatives. Although there are both luxury and budget vacations available in the US, the fact that so many consumer goods are considerably cheaper than in the UK, as well as our position as fast food capital of the world, has probably helped the perception of the US as a value for money vacation.”

*Taking into consideration the average costs of a price of a cup of coffee, a bottle of beer, a three-course dinner for two with a bottle of wine, a night at a Marriott hotel and daily rental car from Avis, Skyscanner was able to calculate the actual cost in each destination. All information was obtained from tourist offices and post offices in different countries.

About Skyscanner.com
Skyscanner instantly compares online flight prices for over 670,000 routes on over 600 airlines then aggregates the best airfare deals for easy flight comparison.

Press contact
Scot Carlson/Mary Porter
www.skyscanner.com
scotc@skyscanner.net / maryp@skyscanner.net
Tel: 1-650-249-3747

Gap Adventures (www.gapadventures.com) is kicking off a spectacular ‘Season For Adventure’ by offering a 20-25% discount on its unforgettable small group trips. It’s the tour operator’s way of encouraging travellers to embrace the sights, sounds and thrills of adventure travel this summer.

To put an even brighter smile on travel lovers’ faces, Gap Adventures is launching this huge promotion effective immediately. That means all small group tours booked and departing by July 31, 2010, will be discounted by 20-25% off their regular price.

Globetrotters have the opportunity to experience a wide range of Gap Adventures’ sustainable tours at a discount–from sailing the stunning Galapagos Islands aboard fully-equipped yachts, to venturing overland across the wilds of Africa by four-wheel-drive vehicle–while still enjoying other great promotions on now, such as 25% off select last-minute bookings and 50% off Arctic cruises.

“Around here we’re committed to changing people’s lives with our authentic, value-driven adventures,” said Gap Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip. “There’s no better way to do that than by giving more people a chance to go anywhere in the world.”

The Gap Adventures ‘Season For Adventure’ sale applies to new tour bookings only. The offer is not applicable to independent tours or Discovery Adventures itineraries, ‘my own room’ options, airfare, hotel bookings or other in-country services.

For more information, visit www.gapadventures.com.

About Gap Adventures
Gap Adventures is a world leader in the adventure travel industry offering small group adventures on all seven continents and beyond to more than 100,000 global travellers annually. The award-winning trips, which focus on culture, nature and active travel, are ideal for those with a sense of adventure – people who want to leave the beaten path and authentically immerse themselves in a local culture or environment to experience the real world in a sustainable manner. Demonstrating its ongoing cultural, social and economic commitment to responsible tourism, Gap Adventures established the Planeterra Foundation, as a way the company and its passengers can give back to the communities visited. For more information, please visit www.gapadventures.com and www.planeterra.org

While Thailand’s tourism recovers from political demonstrations in the capital Bangkok and some northern provinces, which saw governments advising their citizens not to travel to Thailand, the paradise island of Phuket, 900 km south of Bangkok, has received a major accolade. Phuket was voted ‘Best Asian Maritime Capital’ in the annual Asian Boating Awards 2010 hosted by luxury magazine Asia-Pacific Boating.

Yachting, whether sailing or power boating, is one of Phuket’s best-kept secrets – but probably not for much longer as word of this magical cruising area spreads. Compared to more established yachting destinations in other parts of the world, the waters and small islands around Phuket are unspoiled and little traveled. Deserted beaches and otherwise inaccessible ‘treasures’ await those who explore by sea.

MyPhuketInfo.com supports Phuket’s high value/low impact yachting tourism with page after page of detailed information and images on every aspect boating holidays in Phuket, including day trips, sailing yacht charters, speed boat tours, sport fishing and yachting events.

Demonstrating the resilience of this branch of tourism, all the while tourists were shying away from Thailand, fearful of becoming embroiled in the protests, the Top of the Gulf Regatta went ahead in Pattaya, while the Koh Samui Regatta maintained similar entries to last year and interest in Phuket’s own forthcoming Six Senses Phuket Raceweek was gathering pace.

As Phuket’s local travel guide, MyPhuketInfo.com is an invaluable source of independent information on the growing number of charter boats plying Phang Nga Bay just off the north of Phuket, as well as the countless pristine islands and beaches to the south. Each year, the number and quality of boats available for charter – many of them built in Phuket itself – expands, with operators departing from all points on the island.

For the adventurous traveler who wants an escape from the hustle and bustle of Phuket’s major tourist beaches, there is nothing to beat taking to the water in search of Greater Phuket’s real paradise.

About MyPhuketInfo.com
MyPhuketInfo.com is part of the MyDestinationInfo.com global network of travel sites. Focused on providing unparalleled levels of information for visitors to Phuket, including details on Phuket restaurants, hotels, events and even a 5 day Phuket weather forecast, the site content is written and managed by locals, in tune with island life and with in-depth knowledge of Phuket.

Website: http://phuket.mydestinationinfo.com/