Safety considerations falling among vulnerable travellers as cost of living crisis renews focus on the price of holidays

A renewed focus on holiday prices

A year on from the removal of Covid restrictions, new research suggests a growing number of holiday makers are thinking less about their safety abroad and are re-focusing on price when planning a holiday. Alarmingly, this was particularly the case for those with an underlying health condition.

The new AllClear research revealed that, among those with underlying health conditions, the proportion of holidaymakers considering safety as an important factor in their holiday choices has fallen sharply in 12-months – down from 58% in 2021 to 37% now. Meanwhile, mirroring this fall, the number of people now prioritising price and value for money has risen from 39% to 57%.

Other factors that have overtaken safety in the list of priorities among vulnerable travellers included convenience (42%), and wellbeing (42%). Indeed, safety was the only decision-making factor that had fallen in importance as all others rose. More than half assume they won’t be covered. The AllClear study also asked about people’s approach to travel insurance when travelling abroad.

Among people with underlying health conditions, the proportion that assumed they would not be covered had risen from just under half (47%) to 57% in the space of two years. The results showed that around 37% said they would look for the best cover they could find but believed their condition would probably be excluded. Additionally, one in 10 travellers with an underlying health condition said they would not bother going on holiday at all.

Chris Rolland, CEO of AllClear commented:

“It is understandable that travellers are looking to save money during these difficult times, but sacrificing safety for savings is a dangerous idea. Quality cover that adequately meets an individual’s needs is essential. Safety needs to sit among people’s primary considerations when planning a holiday this summer, alongside cost and destination.

For older people, or those with underlying health conditions, some wrongly assume they either can’t head abroad, or make do with cover that is not fit for purpose. Cutting corners, or worse going without, is a false economy that could result in medical emergency bills stretching into the tens of thousands of pounds or more.”

Looking at the trends more broadly, price, quality and convenience were seen as the most important factors in people’s holiday choices nationwide. Travellers aged 35 to 55 were the most likely to prioritise getting the best deal/bargain in their holiday choices (62%), while those over 55 were most likely to prioritise convenience (52%).

Source : Research was conducted in November 2022 by Schlesinger Research Group UK for AllClear among a representative sample of 2,103 adults.