Climate change anxieties force would-be holidaymakers to re-valuate travel plans

A recent study by Forbes Advisor, the financial guidance and price comparison platform, found that nearly one in five (19%) of Brits have been worried by how climate change could impact their holidays in the future. This could be due to recent extreme weather events this summer, where wildfires in the Greek island of Rhodes saw many Brits’ holidays come to an early end.

Climate change-related concerns are affecting would-be holidaymakers’ plans such that nearly one in 10 (9%) stated they have given up visiting a ‘bucket list’ destination altogether.

Some environmentally-minded travellers plan to reduce their own contribution to carbon emissions, with close to a third (30%) saying they will either cut down on or completely stop flying to reach their destination in the future.

Other measures include picking destinations where people are least likely to have an environmental impact (16%), consciously reducing travel abroad (15%), and picking destinations specifically marketed as being environmentally friendly, also known as ‘eco-tourism’ (12%).

The data also revealed that almost one in five (19%) Brits who have gone on holiday recently have had their holiday plans disrupted by extreme weather events. Of those affected, over four in 10 (46%) have had to either cancel or postpone their trip, and nearly four in 10 (39%) had their flight back either cancelled or delayed.

While the study shows that some will be more conscientious about their travels in the future, data reveals that over four in 10 (45%) of Brits still plan to travel without any change to type, frequency, or destination for their future holidays.

Even if you do plan to cut back on travel methods such as flying, this does not mean there is any need to cut back on precautions when you do travel. For example, some travel insurance policies can cover cases such as extreme weather events, making it more likely that you cover your losses if your trip is affected by such events.

Laura Howard, travel expert at Forbes Advisor, commented: “In ways that we haven’t quite seen before, extreme weather events affected Brits’ holidays abroad this summer, to the point that some are now rethinking their approach to travel altogether. 

“While in one respect it’s saddening to see some travellers having to give up on their ‘dream destinations’, it’s encouraging to see some take more proactive steps on mitigating their own environmental impact – especially when it comes to commercial flights. As our study showed, some are trying to fly less, and others are committing not to fly at all.

“Regardless of your holiday or mode of transportation – even if you stay in the UK – it’s vital to have travel insurance to cover unexpected expenses such as medical costs and losses such as stolen or mislaid baggage. Some policies also provide cash payments if you find yourself delayed or stranded by travel disruption, and cancellation cover if government guidance changes to say your destination is no longer safe for travel.”

The article Climate change anxieties force would-be holidaymakers to re-valuate travel plans first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.