One in three of us will avoid the eurozone when choosing our 2010 holidays, according to the latest industry research, which suggests that the £5 ice cream and £8 beer are proving difficult to forget.

While this is great news for Turkey, Egypt and the Balkans, it could be catastrophic for tour operators and hoteliers with tens of thousands of rooms to fill, from the Algarve to the Aegean. The larger companies are already devising strategies for minimising their losses.

Thomson plans to woo clients by offering “ supermarket basics-style” packages. “Much of our recent development has been at the upper end of the price range,” says its chief executive, Dermot Blastland, “but for 2010 we’ve introduced the Just brand — a reintroduction of good-quality basic accommodation, particularly in Greece, to resonate with the more frugal approach.”

With packages starting at £151, that means no spas, no plasma screen and no fluffy bathrobes. So what do you get for your money? Facilities we once took for granted, such as swimming pools, bars and on-site restaurants, are now described as extras, offering a sobering foretaste of the post-recession holiday, and the website sets out to manage expectations by warning customers that “the places we’ve picked for Just don’t come with a fanfare... they don’t have much in the way of facilities, but if you’re looking for a basic place to rest your head, they’re fine”.

Thomas Cook, on the other hand, sees the rise of the all-inclusive resort as the solution. “This summer saw a significant increase in the number of all-inclusive holidays sold across all destinations,” says its chief executive, Manny Fontenla-Novoa. “We expect this to continue as holidaymakers seek peace of mind that they’ve paid the total cost upfront in sterling.”

Faced with a choice between Greek austerity and a Spanish all-inclusive, the smart option might be to give Europe a miss next year and go long-haul. Airlines are already engaged in a price war sparked by the British Airways long-haul sale. Virgin Atlantic, US Airways, Emirates and Delta Air Lines are among the carriers slashing fares, with New York on offer at £276 return with Delta, Mumbai for £379 with Jet Airways, Nairobi for £379 with Virgin and Kuala Lumpur for £399 with Malaysian.

Most fares are valid until March 31, 2010, but Nikki Davies, of Trailfinders, says travellers should book now. “We’ve never seen air fares as low as they were in 2009,” she says. “And it’s unlikely that we will see fares as low again. We’ll still see some great offers, but I expect there will be a gradual increase in pricing as airlines attempt to improve their yield and return to profitability.”

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