A new trend towards holidaymakers taking their trips to the sun earlier the year to avoid brutal mid-summer heatwaves is revealed in new research today.
Londoners are leading the charge towards the less ferociously hot months of late Spring and early summer, according to the data from AllClear Travel Insurance.
It found that 18% of Londoners are taking taking an overseas break in May - compared with a national average of 13% - and 20% in June, against a national average of 15%.
There is also a trend towards holidays in the early Autumn with the proportion considering a break in September rising from 14% in 2024 to 20% this year while planned October holidays are up from 8% to 13%.
Severe heatwaves with temperatures above 40 degrees centigrade for days or even weeks on end, sometimes accompanied by devastating wildfire have become a far more frequent features of summers in Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal and southern France in recent years.
Research after last summer revealed that four in five British holiday makers fear some European holiday destinations 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 comprised of: Greece 48%, Turkey 45%, Spain 44%, Cyprus 40%, Italy 28%, Portugal 27% and Malta 23%.
However, despite the new hazard the vast majority of people polled are planning a foreign holiday this year with 94% of Londoners and 85% of the national population plotting a trip.
The AllClear research also suggests that many people still have a lack of understanding on medical costs abroad should they fall ill or have an accident on holiday.
Just over half of UK holidaymakers believe they would be able to personally cover medical bills abroad with their own money, if they were to fall ill or have an accident on holiday.
This rose to 74% in London, the highest figure across the UK – and comes at a time when London has the highest percentage of people with medical conditions planning a holiday overseas this year (38%).
Londoners were also the least likely to say they would fully declare all the information required when buying their travel insurance before going on holiday (55% against a national average of 71%)
Garry Nelson, head of corporate affairs at AllClear Travel Insurance said: “It is welcome news for the UK travel industry to see such buoyant consumer confidence for the year ahead.
“The upturn on 2024’s numbers suggests London is leading the charge on holiday bookings for the summer season and some people will be having more holidays in 2025 compared to previous years.
“That said, we are concerned over the proportion of Londoners who think that they could pay their medical bills if they fall ill abroad without comprehensive cover.
“A medical emergency in some countries could cost a person their home and easily reach six figures. With rising treatment costs, combined with unfavourable exchange rates, the true costs of UK holidaymakers being hospitalised abroad are eye-watering.”
