Some holiday hotspots will be too hot to visit in the next five years

In a new study, InsureandGo asked a representative sample of 2,000 adults to reflect on their future holiday choices. According to its findings, four in five British holidaymakers (80%) think some European holiday hotspots will be too hot to visit within the next five years, as climate change and extreme weather threatens to change tomorrow’s tourism map of Europe.

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

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

Direct impact felt abroad

In addition to concerns over rising temperatures, many UK holidaymakers have, in recent years, experienced the effects of climate change firsthand when overseas on holiday. This trend is also on the rise – up from 78% in summer 2022 to 85% this July.

While a record number of Brits are planning to go abroad in the months ahead (83%), the cumulative impact of three summers of extreme heat is beginning to influence holidaymaker choices as well as their preparatory measures before going overseas. Many holidaymakers said they would now:

• Research hotel facilities – e.g. air conditioning (16%)
• Stay at a better-quality resort/hotel that would have safety protocols for an emergency (13%)
• Research what the temperatures are likely to be for the destination they’re considering (17%)
• Check the small print on their travel insurance documents to check the detail of what’s covered and the terms for cancellation (18%).

The study suggested some holidaymakers would be inclined to rethink when and where they have their main family holiday in the future. Nationally, 14% of respondents said they might now go on holiday after the peak summer period (14%), while a further 13% would consider a holiday before the summer.

Here are the top five holiday destinations Brits 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, commented: “At InsureandGo, we want to help people go abroad without the doubt. We would encourage people to do their destination research before they fly off and to check what their travel insurance covers in terms of cancellation and medical cover for those with pre-existing conditions.”

Greece recently reported the deaths of several tourists in separate incidents, with the country having experienced temperatures of over 44°C earlier this summer.