Tourist interest in Greece hots up

Stag parties might be looking to cut back during the recession, but it seems British revellers are refusing to let the weaker pound put paid to their travel plans.

According to UK foreign exchange broker World First, the value of sterling has actually increased against the euro in recent months, although it remains lower than in previous years.

Not be deterred, however, British stag parties and holidaymakers are simply switching their attentions from more exclusive European destinations to less expensive sun hotspots such as Greece.

Indeed, Theo Papathanasiou, Greek desk manager at World First, revealed that interest in the country has surged in recent months as tourists look to get away without breaking the bank.

He said the country and its surrounding islands have always been "so much cheaper than the equivalent destinations", meaning Greek party locations like Crete and Faliraki could be the ideal destination for a stag weekend away this year.

According to youtravel.com, Greece is home to some of the fastest-growing places in terms of tourist interest, with bookings to Rhodes and Crete up 27 per cent compared with this time last year.