Extreme heatwaves in Europe not changing Brits’ holiday plans, say travel bosses
Source: The Guardian ·
Hot summer getaways are still popular – but tourism industry fears impact of rising jet fuel costs and squeezed household incomesAfter a year marked by extreme heat and war sending fuel prices skywards, British travel executives hoped for solace in Madeira’s benign subtropical climate, separated by hundreds of miles of blue sea from the overtourism protests and six-hour EU-entry queues seen on…
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After a year marked by extreme heat and war sending fuel prices skywards, British travel executives hoped for solace in Madeira’s benign subtropical climate, separated by hundreds of miles of blue sea from the overtourism protests and six-hour EU-entry queues seen on the Portuguese mainland. As bosses admitted, holidays will be ever less affordable, AI is coming for their jobs, and the visitable world is shrinking – not least those parts where tourists remain welcome. Some of the bigger anxieties in spring, such as widespread border chaos and planes running out of fuel, have not come to pass; others now appear chronic issues. New supplies of jet fuel, a major concern after the US first attacked Iran in February, have been established – but the cost is staying far higher for longer than most expected. “Fuel is a huge part of any holiday and people are going to have to reckon with the cost,” said Neil Swanson, Tui UK & Ireland managing director, among the attendees at the Abta…