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Third of Brits have changed travel plans this year due to terrorism

Wednesday, 28 June 20173 min read

One third of Brits have changed their travel plans due to the fear of terrorism, according to a poll of 2,000 British holidaymakers.

The research, carried out by World Travel Market, found 17% are avoiding countries where the terror threat is high, 12% are avoiding destinations where there has already been a terrorist attack, and 5% said they were fearful of going abroad altogether so would be having a staycation this year.

A spokesman for WTM believes this fear will make way for new holiday hotspots such as Malta, Slovenia and Iceland that are considered a ‘low-risk, safe’ option by the UK Foreign Office.

When asked if they were too scared to travel because of terrorism, 12% said they would be avoiding travelling altogether and 4% said they have even cancelled holidays this year.

But 55% said terrorism had not impacted their willingness to travel and 20% said they don’t believe the threat is any higher right now.

In a separate question, 58% of holidaymakers believe there is still a distinct lack of travel advice on where is safe to go and don’t believe there is enough information available.

World Travel Market spokesperson Paul Nelson commented: "With most capital cities on high alert, it’s hardly surprising that we are more cautious in our decision when it comes to holidays.

"However with Brits having such a strong desire to travel, I think its unlikely terrorism threats will be too detrimental to the resilient travel industry."

World Travel Market takes place at London Excel on November 6-8.