Some destinations becoming too hot to handle for Brits

Four in five British holiday makers (80%) think some European holiday hotspots will be too hot to handle within the next five years.

Extreme temperatures threaten to change the tourism map of Europe in the coming years, based on views collected in a new InsureandGo study.

For the third consecutive summer, a sizzling heat wave has sent temperatures soaring in southern and central Europe, with temperatures hitting 40 degrees Celsius.

Forest fires are becoming the summer norm in some destinations.

The new InsureandGo study asked a representative sample of 2,000 adults to reflect on their future holiday choices.

This July, four in five Brits (80%) named one or more European countries that they think will be too hot to visit in five years’ time – and this is a rise on 71% who cited extreme weather concerns last year.

The European countries that people think will be too hot for a summer holiday by 2029 are: Greece 48%, Turkey 45%, Spain 44%, Cyprus 40%, Italy 28%, Portugal 27% and Malta 23%.

Concern about the impact of soaring temperatures was a universal issue.

It was a concern across all age-groups.

It comes at a time when heatwaves have already hit Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Italy – with some places seeing temperatures 10C above the seasonal average.

A majority of UK holidaymakers say they have experienced the effects of climate change first-hand when overseas on holiday.

Hotter temperatures, poor air quality, and plastic waste or litter on beaches have been most commonly experienced first-hand on holiday.

The cumulative impact of three summers of extreme heat is beginning to impact holidaymaker choices, the study finds.

Longer term, there is evidence that some people may even re-think when and where they have their main family holiday. Nationally, 14% of respondents said in the future they might go on holiday after the peak summer period (14%), while a further 13% would consider a holiday before the summer.

The top five holiday destinations people would consider in the future for cooler temperatures:

Iceland (22%)

Canada (21%)

Sweden (18%)

Ireland (17%)

Finland (16%)

Garry Nelson Head of Corporate Affairs at InsureandGo said: “There are clear signs that things could be about to change longer-term. Thousands of people have experienced extreme weather during their summer breaks in recent years.”

“We want to help people go abroad without the doubt. We would encourage people to do their destination research before they fly off and also to check what their travel insurance covers in terms of cancellation and medical cover for those with pre-existing conditions.” 

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