Be careful when splashing the cash in Mallorca on holiday this summer because the central bank is taking some notes out of service over the next few months. Tourists travelling to Spain from July are being warned not to use old or damaged €50 notes, as Spain’s central bank is withdrawing these notes from circulation to help reduce fraud. From July onwards, only undamaged €50 notes will be accepted in shops in Spain.
Visitors who have worn-out €50 notes can exchange them at banks. Tourists may also face issues using €500 notes, which were discontinued in 2016 but still exist in circulation. Spain is known for still having a high share of cash payments, especially when compared to other European countries. The usage of debit cards has dropped in the past few years, but the popularity of credit cards and mobile payments has grown.
At the moment, cash accounts for almost 40% of payments in Spain. It’s followed by credit cards and debit cards, while e-wallets follow at around 10%. Some predictions say that cash will remain widely used in Spain in the next few years, but digital wallets will gain traction. According to a survey, Britons prefer to use cash rather than credit cards while on holiday.
Research from ABTA Travel Money has revealed many holidaymakers are more likely to pay for items with cash when on holiday overseas, compared with when buying items at home in the UK. ABTA’s figures reveal that 44%1 of UK holidaymakers say they use cash more when on holiday abroad, compared to 7% who say they use less.
The most common reason why UK adults are splashing the cash rather the swiping the plastic abroad is it often being the only form of payment accepted at the destinations they’re visiting, according to more than two in five people (44% of respondents). ABTA is recommending people take some cash with them when on holiday, so they know that they can pay for the things they want to buy, without having to resort to cash withdrawals which can add on hefty charges or being left stuck without any form of payment.
Almost one in three (28%) of those who use cash while on holiday abroad, said they pay with cash as they are keen to avoid bank charges and ATM fees, and they are right to be concerned. On average, people can face between €2 and €6 per withdrawal when visiting countries such as Spain, Greece and Italy, with currency conversion charges then added on top.
Other reasons cash is preferred is to help manage how much people spend while away (37%), whilst one in five (21%) said it was due to fears of having their card details stolen when abroad and 20% said it was because of concerns their card might not be accepted, leaving them without another payment.
No comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
Currently there are no comments.