The Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) has said people should continue to travel and holiday as normal in southern Europe, despite the current record heatwaves, but has urged holidaymakers to be sensible and closely follow local precautions and guidelines.
Despite dangerously high temperatures in the high 30s and even early 40s being recorded across southern Europe – including many of the continent’s traditionally popular summer holiday spots – and people being cautioned to stay out of the sun for most of the day, Irish people are not being put off hitting the usual Mediterranean pleasure spots, according to ITAA President and Click&Go CEO Paul Hackett.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland programme, Mr Hackett said: “They are travelling; nobody’s cancelling. I spoke to some of the members of the Irish Travel Agents Association, yesterday, and everyone’s reporting getting a very small number of calls, but it’s practical stuff.”
“I think what’s important is Irish people are practical and sensible. This heat wave is well-flagged, so people are prepared in advance of travel and they’re going to follow the local guidelines, they’re going to do sensible things – they’re going to split the day, take breaks during the day time and take the proverbial siesta. They’re on holidays,” he said.
Mr Hackett said the vast majority of people – especially families – are going to be on beaches, on the coast – with sea breezes making things much cooler than would be the case in cities.
“It’s quite a different holiday position to be on a beach/sea holiday versus a city holiday. So, from that point of view, I think we are going to have to rely on people being sensible. We can’t turn into a nanny state. They’re on holidays, they’ve got to enjoy themselves, but they’ve also got to be sensible. I think parents with young kids and anybody who’s any way compromised is going to be practical about it. They’ll do stuff in the morning, take a break, then do stuff in the evening and at night time – and still enjoy their holiday. What is their alternative? It has rained every day in this country since July 1, since the primary schools closed. So, parents with young kids in this country must be tearing their hair out,” Mr Hackett told RTÉ.
At the moment, the Department of Foreign Affairs is still saying normal precautions apply. Flights are operating as normal, and destinations are fully operational.
Mr Hackett said: “Everything is operating as normal. There’s no free change fees with the airlines for anyone with a disinclination to travel, but what we’re saying to people is southern Europe is very well geared to this hot weather. It is the summer, it’s not a surprise to see temperatures in Seville and Greece as high as they are, albeit higher at the present moment. These properties have air conditioning, they have pools; locals are very well geared to holidays at this time of the year and temperatures similar to this time. Our advice is follow the local guidelines, follow precautions, be sensible and have a great holiday.”
Mr Hackett also said people shouldn’t be deterred from taking city breaks, despite conditions likely to be much hotter than in beach resorts.
“People choose to travel to cities for cultural reasons – [our advice is] plan your day, break your day, don’t do anything during the middle of the day and be sensible about it.”
“There’s freedom of choice; people have to do what they want to do but the temperatures are high so people have to be sensible about being out in these temperatures. But, they know about it; this is not news to them, it’s been well flagged for the last week.”
While he admitted last minute bookings are currently softer than usual, he said that is largely because people this year have booked so far in advance,
