Will we still get sun, sand and sea? How the Leave vote will affect holidays abroad

ARE you planning an escape for a sunshine break this summer?

When we’re booking out annual holiday Brits still flock to Europe, with visits to the continent accounting for 80 per cent of our overseas visits.

But the Leave vote has prompted some serious worries about travelling abroad.

Holidaymakers are asking of visas will now be required, if passports need to be reissued and whether their health cards are valid.

So how will Brexit impact on your holiday fun?

Will it affect the holiday you have already booked? And how will it affect future breaks.

Here are the answers to your post-referendum holiday questions.

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Will our food and drink cost more?

Yes, certainly in the short term.

The Leave vote triggered a drop in sterling value of more than 10 per cent, meaning every pound will buy you a lot less Euros.

That means your beach bar bevvy will be more expensive today than it would have yesterday.

However, after the initial shock the pound has already rallied and by early afternoon was only eight percent lower than yesterday.

If your holiday is later in the year, it might be best to sit it out a while longer before splashing out on your Euros.

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Will it affect the cost of our holiday?

David Cameron claimed a family holiday would go up by £230, but is he right?

If you’ve already booked then the only factor affected is what you will spend at the resort.

But a fall in the value of the pound means holidays will be going up as accommodation will set you back a few more Euros a night.

TravelZoo MD Joel Brandon-Bravo said: "Following confirmation of a win for the ‘Leave’ vote, the next 24 months of negotiations will be crucial for British travel - particularly if the UK Government wants to maintain inbound tourism from the EU, and avoid a price hike for Britons wanting to travel abroad for holidays."

Will flights soar?

In terms of flights, Easyjet and Ryanair have claimed flights will become more expensive because of aviation rules. But IAG, the owner of British Airways, said UK exit from the EU would not affect its business.

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Will anything change at the airport?

Getting through customs at EU airports may well be more time consuming.

Instead of being fast-tracked through the EU Passport controls, we may well have to join the never-ending ‘Non-EU Countries’ queue when we fly abroad.

What about mobile phone calls?

EU caps on mobile roaming charges have been keeping costs down for mobile phone users but these will no longer apply.

It will be up to the UK government to decide whether they introduce their own legislation to stop mobile companies overcharging.

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Will we have to replace our passports?

Our passports currently have a European Union Stamp across the top of them.

So will the passport office suddenly have to replace millions of valid passports with new UK versions?

The Passport Office hasn’t released any plans and the Home Office said it was “Too early to say.”

But Radio Four’s Moneybox presenter Paul Lewis has helpfully cleared up the confusion.

In answer to the question, he tweeted: “No. It is a British passport issued by the UK government not an EU passport. Passports remain valid for their term.”

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Will we need a visa?

Nothing will change for at least two years, while deals are struck in Europe.

According to Article 50, which is triggered when a country decides to leave the EU, all of the legislations stays the same for two years.

After that there is no way of telling what deal tourists will get abroad, but it’s not in the interest of European countries to make it difficult for Brits to holiday there, as many rely on tourism.

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Will our European Health Cards still be valid?

Again, nothing will change for at least two years and our EHIC will still entitle us to treatment in European countries.

Health Minister Jeremy Hunt has confirmed we could lose access to the service after the Brexit but it is not a given.

Switzerland and Iceland are both outside the EU and still use the EHIC scheme.

EHIC doesn't rely on membership - Maria Caulfield, MP for Lewes

The scheme works both ways – and the UK has given £5.8billion more to EU countries for medical costs than we've got back.