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The holiday destinations that have got cheaper

More and more travellers are researching skiplagging, but experts have weighed in on the risks.

More and more travellers are researching skiplagging, but experts have weighed in on the risks. Photo: Getty

The enfeebled Australian dollar is making overseas travel ever more expensive, but there may be a silver lining.

According to a new report by travel website Expedia, not all destinations have become more expensive over the past year. In fact, a handful are now considerably cheaper.

The reason? The plunging price of resources.

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The Australian dollar has fallen over the past year because Australia is a resource-based economy.

As the cost of resources such as iron ore, coal and oil have plummeted, so has the Australian dollar.

But Australia is not the only resource-based economy, and the others have also suffered. And it’s some of those resource-based economies that have become cheaper. Here are the top four.

1. Russia

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Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Since last year the Australian dollar has gained 31 per cent against the Russian rouble.

So if you’ve been thinking about doing the Trans-Siberian Railway, now might be your chance. But you’d better be quick – summer is nearly over in the northern hemisphere, and with the global economy as volatile as it is at the moment, who knows what the exchange rate will be in another year.

Now might be your best chance to catch a glimpse of Vladimir Putin in the flesh (‘flesh’ being the operative word).

Average airfare (AUD): $1740
Average nightly hotel rate (AUD): $170 

2. Colombia

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It’s always hot in Bogota.

Second on the list is Colombia, where the peso has lost 14 per cent of its value against the Aussie. It may have a reputation as a crime and drug-ridden place, but Colombia is actually the fourth-biggest economy in Latin America, and is a lot less dangerous than it was a decade ago thanks to a concerted (and controversial) effort to crush the notorious guerrilla group, the FARC.

Like Russia, Colombia’s main export is petroleum, and it has suffered from the collapsing oil price.

Average airfare: $2705
Average nightly hotel rate: $139 

3. Brazil

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Rio de Janeiro trumps even Sydney for natural beauty.

If Colombia or Russia don’t appeal, the third on the list may be more your cup of tea.

Like Australia, Brazil’s number one export is iron ore, the price of which has plummeted over the last 12 months. Adding insult to injury, Brazil is also a major exporter of crude oil.

The Brazilian real has lost 13 per cent of its value against the Aussie dollar.

Average airfare: $2094
Average nightly hotel rate: $200 

4. New Zealand

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NZ is the best place for dairy.

Number four on the list also happens to be our closest neighbour and favourite holiday destination: New Zealand.

The Kiwi dollar has lost four per cent of its value against the Aussie dollar since last year. While this is nothing compared with the exchange rate of three or four years ago, it is a good deal better than recently, when the Kiwi threatened to reach parity with the Aussie.

Unlike the other three destinations, New Zealand is not strictly speaking a resource-based economy, unless you count milk. Milk and other dairy products make up 24 per cent of New Zealand’s exports. And the price of milk is plummeting.

Average airfare: $463
Average nightly hotel rate: $180 

The bad news

Unfortunately, most of our favourite destinations have got a lot more expensive.

The worst is the United States. The Aussie has lost 21 per cent of its value against the greenback. But despite this massive fall, Expedia’s managing director George Ruebensal said Australians are still travelling to the USA.

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“Whilst it is definitely not as cheap to go to the US as it has been in recent years, we are still seeing positive demand year-on-year for the US. For instance, interest in Hawaii is up more than 25 per cent year-on-year. People might choose to stay in a three-star over a four-star or stay a few days less but they are still taking that US holiday.”

However, for Aussies set on flying across the Pacific, Expedia pointed out that resource-reliant Canada has only become six per cent more expensive against the Australian dollar.

Other countries that have got more expensive include China (21 per cent), Thailand (16 per cent), Singapore (14 per cent), the UK (12 per cent), Indonesia (nine per cent), Fiji (nine per cent), France (three per cent) and Italy (three per cent).

While Europe is not resources heavy, its economic woes make it a fairly affordable destination still.

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