Three in ten Britons would cancel a 40°C holiday

In the middle of Europe’s heatwave – which has seen temperatures in excess of 40°C in parts of the continent – TUI boss Sebastian Ebel has claimed that climate change will fundamentally alter where and how we book holidays.

Data from YouGov Surveys shows that 40% of Britons say the ideal outdoor temperature for a holiday is around 21-25°C, with 34% saying the ideal is 26-30°C. Just 7% say they’d prefer a temperature over 30°C, while 15% say they’d prefer a temperature of 20°C or under.

Accordingly, it’s not too surprising that there’s little appetite for a 40°C holiday. When asked what they’d do if they found out temperatures were to hit 40°C before booking, two-thirds of Britons say they’d seek out an alternative destination (67%). Just a fifth (22%) say they’d go on the holiday anyway.

When it comes to a holiday that is already booked, 54% say they would go on the vacation – but 30% would cancel if temperatures were to hit 40°C.

As for what they expect from travel companies, in the event of unusually hot weather, some 27% of consumers think the provider should refund the customer in full, and 18% think the customer would deserve at least a partial refund; 37% say the company should not refund the customer at all. 

Accordingly, it’s not too surprising that there’s little appetite for a 40°C holiday. When asked what they’d do if they found out temperatures were to hit 40°C before booking, two-thirds of Britons say they’d seek out an alternative destination (67%). Just a fifth (22%) say they’d go on the holiday anyway.

When it comes to a holiday that is already booked, 54% say they would go on the vacation – but 30% would cancel if temperatures were to hit 40°C.

As for what they expect from travel companies, in the event of unusually hot weather, some 27% of consumers think the provider should refund the customer in full, and 18% think the customer would deserve at least a partial refund; 37% say the company should not refund the customer at all.

YouGov polled 1,000 British adults online on 16 August 2023. The survey was carried out through YouGov Surveys: Self-serve. Data is weighted by age, gender, education level, region, and social grade. The margin of error is 2% for the overall sample. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Self-serve.