Cash is still the UK’s number one way to pay abroad, according to the Post Office. Almost half (47%) of Britons prefer to use local currency compared to 33% who prefer to use their debit or credit card.

Although travellers’ cheques are still popular with 19% of holidaymakers, they are slowly declining as plastic becomes more popular, with sales dropping by almost 12% last year. Despite this, sales of euro travellers’ cheques grew by 7%.

Kevin McAdam, head of travel and leisure at the Post Office, said: “With so many places now offering commission-free deals and competitive rates, hard currency is unbeatable for convenience and value-for-money. And with budget airlines flying to even more destinations, we are seeing demand for a wider range of foreign currencies for different countries, especially Eastern Europe.”