Greece tops list of most expensive European destinations for holiday cancellations

According to Aviva’s travel insurance claims data for 2024, holidays to Greece incurred the highest costs for cancelling a holiday in Europe at £1,298. Norway and Gibraltar closely followed at £1,285 and £1,197, respectively.

According to the insurer’s data, the top 10 European destination countries with the highest cancellation costs are:

1. Greece – £1,298
2. Norway – £1,285
3. Gibraltar – £1,197
4. Turkey – £1,179
5. Cyprus – £1,138
6. Finland – £1,070
7. Croatia – £1,031
8. Austria – £970
9. Iceland – £943
10. Montenegro – £929.

While Greece may be the costliest country for cancellation, Spain has the most cancelled holidays overall, with the top 10 being:

1. Spain
2. The UK
3. Greece
4. France
5. Italy
6. Portugal
7. Turkey
8. Cyprus
9. Germany
10. Norway.

Carolyn Scott, Head of Home and Travel Underwriting at Aviva, commented: “According to our data, cancellation is the most common travel insurance claim, and with costs soaring into the thousands in some countries, it’s worrying to see how many people are booking or travelling unprotected.

“If you didn’t use a tour operator or are struggling to recover any costs, travel insurance is a valuable lifeline and can help you get some – if not all – of your money back should the worst happen.”

Last year, insurance sector experts discussed the importance of comprehensive cancellation coverage.