Southern Europe remains the first choice of Dutch holidaymakers, despite the fact that many countries are struggling with natural disasters such as heat, drought and forest fires. For the travel industry, demand wins out over risks. ‘The holidays have become a kind of necessity of life,’ says Arjan Kers, managing director of TUI Netherlands and Belgium. Kers was asked by the TV program Een Vandaag for his opinion on sun holidays and the consequences of climate change. Summers in southern Europe are getting hotter and hotter, according to the Avro-Tros programme. This has consequences for the way we spend our holidays. Tourism researcher Harald Buijtendijk explains in the programme that heat is definitely a risk when you travel. “For example, the hot summer of 2022 cost the lives of some 60,000 people in Europe, especially in the popular holiday countries on the Mediterranean Sea,” he claims. According to him, if you grow up in Northwest Europe, you are brought up with the idea that you only really enjoy a holiday when the weather is ‘nice’. Buijtendijk is a researcher at the Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUAS). He is also active as a climate activist in Scientist Rebellion, a group of ‘concerned scientists’ who often work with Extinction Rebellion. When climate activists illegally entered the grounds of Eindhoven Airport in March last year, Buijtendijk spoke on behalf of a group of Scientist Rebellion activists who blocked the entrance to the terminal for private jets. According to Buijtendijk, the idea that you only really go on holiday when the weather is ‘nice’ is no longer self-evident. That image is partly perpetuated by the marketing of the travel industry, he says. ‘You don’t hear from the industry that heat can be dangerous, especially for vulnerable groups such as seniors and small children.’ He places the responsibility entirely on the travel sector. “Travel companies choose which destinations they offer and do proactive marketing for cheap air travel to southern countries. They must offer alternatives and provide the right information about the risks of heat.” High demand Arjan Kers also points out the personal responsibility of holidaymakers: “Dutch travellers are experienced and know that temperatures in southern Europe can rise considerably in the summer. People can inform themselves about the weather conditions and base their choices on that. ́ According to Kers, the travel industry is once again seeing a lot of demand for favorite southern holiday countries this year. “For a while, we thought there would be a change in behaviour due to the heat of previous years, but we notice that people are booking their favourite sun destinations en masse again. After eight months of heavy rain and grey weather, the Dutch feel the need to get out. They need sun. Holidays have become a kind of necessity of life. ́ Kers says he does see that holidaymakers travel more often outside the high season. He also notes an increasing demand for northern countries. ‘Scandinavia, Ireland, England and Scotland are becoming increasingly popular in the summer.’ (Photo Shutterstock).
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