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The story in 100 words

Brits still love to travel abroad, perhaps a city break, cruise, backpacking or a couple of weeks well earnt rest. The average UK citizen spending 9.8 nights abroad each year. The majority of British tourists visit Spain and other European destinations, however increasing numbers are trying out new locations outside of Europe. City breaks have also begun to edge beach breaks as a choice for holiday type.

With the increase in British tourists heading to exotic locations, many take insufficient precautions with their health before, during and after travelling. Issues with helpful medical supplies, travel insurance, and travel vaccines have all been uncovered.

In response DocHQ has launched a new travel vaccine tool that allows users to check what travel vaccine you require before your trip.

The story in 500 words

As the cold and wet winter weather continues to draw on, you might already be planning your next holiday. However, there is an increasing amount of risk attached to travelling abroad, and many UK holidaymakers leave without the necessary travel insurance or vaccinations.

So where are the most popular holiday destinations? What can British holidaymakers do ensure they remain safe whilst on their travels?

Where do Brits Like to Travel to the Most?

The answer is predominately Spain. Over 15 million British tourists visit Spain each and every year. Out of the remaining top ten destinations, only one (USA) is situated outside of Europe. Stalwarts such as France and Italy still draw in big numbers, while less obvious destinations such as Poland beat out package holiday destinations such as Turkey.

However, a recent survey by ABTA revealed that 45% of British travellers say that they plan to visit a new country within the next twelve months, with the same percentage stating that they plan on visiting a country that’s outside of Europe.

Holiday Safety – How to Better Protect Yourself Abroad

There are plenty of simple steps you can take to protect yourself whilst abroad, ensuring that you have as care-free and stress-free a holiday as possible.  

In terms of supplies to bring with you, one of the most obvious items to take with you is a travel first aid kit. If you are travelling to a destination where you are expecting a lot of sunshine, make sure to pack some good quality sun cream. Finally, it’s useful to bring items such as mosquito repellent to avoid getting itchy bites that could put a damper on your holiday.

Next you need to make sure you have adequate travel insurance. 3,000 Brits need emergency treatment every single week, meaning you are only ever one poorly cooked meal or one misjudged step away from an astronomical medical bill without cover. Check the wording of your documents, and never rely on an EHIC card.

Finally, check you’ve got the correct travel vaccinations. Only 20% of British travellers bother to check which vaccinations they may need and as much as 60% of British tourists shun travel vaccinations altogether before departing for their holiday destination, risking the contraction of potentially deadly diseases. 

In most cases one vaccination should be enough to last you the rest of your life. Some countries also have a legal requirement for tourists to present jab certifications upon entry. Vaccinations should be taken at least 14 days before departure, so it’s important to check with plenty of time left ahead of departure.  

Make Sure You’re Adequately Prepared for Your Next Trip

Brits are dedicating an increasing amount of their allocated holiday days to travel to foreign destinations. Whilst Spain and other popular European destinations still fill the top ten locations for UK holidaymakers, an increasing amount of travellers are taking the leap to locations much further afield, where exotic diseases are more prevalent.

Our brand new online tool allows travellers to understand what vaccinations they need by simply entering a destination and the dates of travel. Check what travel vaccine you require before your trip.

The full blog

As the cold and wet winter weather continues to draw on, you could be forgiven for absent-mindedly daydreaming about your next holiday destination. After all taking a break is great for your health. However, as travel companies gear up for pitching you their summer holiday destinations for the post-Christmas sales season, it’s worth remembering that there is an increasing amount of risk attached to travelling abroad.

An average of 3,000 UK holidaymakers need emergency medical attention each and every week.1 With 9.9 million Brits travelling without proper travel insurance and a further 6 out of 10 travellers shunning the necessary travel vaccines, there are worries that number of British tourists who die abroad (which was over 7,000 last year) will continue to rise.2,3,4

So where are the most popular holiday destinations for British holidaymakers? Which are the most popular types of holidays? And what can British holidaymakers do ensure they remain safe whilst on their travels?

Where do Brits Like to Travel to the Most?

It’s a well-known fact that us Brits love to travel. In fact, the average UK resident spent 9.8 nights abroad last year.5 Furthermore, the figure that British tourists spend abroad continues to rise, with overseas spending topping £45 billion for the first-time last year.6 Check out our survival tips for airports and flights.

But where is the bulk of that money spent? The answer is predominately Spain.

Spain

Over 15 million British tourists visit Spain each and every year.7 To give that figure some context, that’s almost double the number of visitors that Britain’s second favourite travel destination receives (France).

Spain offers Brits a huge amount of locations to choose from. Whether holidaymakers opt to go for a city break in Barcelona, or spend a week all-inclusive in the Canary Islands, British demand for Spanish holiday destinations shows no signs of slowing down in the face of a drop in the value of the pound and the uncertainty surrounding Brexit.

Rest of Europe

Out of the remaining top ten destinations, only one (USA) is situated outside of Europe. Stalwarts such as France and Italy still draw in big numbers, while less obvious destinations such as Poland beat out package holiday destinations such as Turkey. Incidentally, Turkey doesn’t even make it into the top ten.    

Here’s how the numbers are split across the countries within Europe (excluding Spain) that make up the top ten most popular destinations for UK holidaymakers:

  • France – 8.56 million
  • Italy – 4.56 million
  • Republic of Ireland – 3.42 million
  • Portugal – 2.87 million
  • Germany – 2.82 million
  • Netherlands – 2.72 million
  • Poland – 2.67 million
  • Greece – 2.347 million8

The reasons for travelling to these countries vary, for countries such as France, Italy, Portugal and Greece, the allure of hot and sun-drenched beaches are one of the biggest draws. However, city breaks within the Netherlands, Poland, Ireland, and Germany offer a chance for culture vultures to satisfy their cravings.    

United States of America

Occupying 4th place on the list of most popular British tourist destinations, America has plenty to offer travellers. City breaks to New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas are popular holiday choices. However, by far and away the most popular destination in America for British travellers is Orlando. 

Known as the home of both Disneyworld and Universal Studios, the city attracts over one million of the USA’s 3.47 million British visitors each year.9 British families often opt to head out during July and August, despite the fact that temperatures can regularly top 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rest of the World

A recent survey by ABTA revealed that 45% of British travellers say that they plan to visit a new country within the next twelve months, with the same percentage stating that they plan on visiting a country that’s outside of Europe.10 Similar surveys have revealed that destinations such as Japan and Cuba are high on the wish list for British tourists this year.11

With the proliferation of cheap international flights, long-haul international destinations are becoming increasingly attractive to British travellers who are looking to experience completely alien cultures. Thanks in large part to social media apps such as Instagram, would-be British tourists are very familiar with the pristine island beaches of Thailand or the sight of Machu Picchu perched atop an Andean mountain in Peru. These photos of glorious far-away destinations flooding news feeds is helping to drive up demand for Brits to see them in person.

These figures about the favourite destinations of British may not come as much of a surprise, but what about the type of holiday that travellers are seeking? Which do Brits prefer?

City Breaks Top the Pile of UK Holidaymakers Choices

You may well be shocked to learn that city breaks were actually the most popular form of holiday taken by UK tourists last year, with 48% of all holidays falling under this type of trip. Whether it with family, friends or solo, beach holidays were a close second accounting for 40% of British holidays. Perhaps interestingly, breaks to the countryside came in third place with 21%, with all-inclusive holidays only accounting for 15% of British holidaymaker’s choices.

The full breakdown of holiday types is as follows:

  • City break – 48%
  • Beach holiday – 40%
  • Countryside break – 21%
  • Sightseeing trip – 15%
  • All-inclusive holiday – 15%
  • Lakes and mountains – 9%
  • Cruise – 8%
  • Renting a private home (e.g. Airbnb/Home Swap) – 7%
  • Coach holiday – 5%
  • Train holiday – 5%
  • Adventure or activity holiday – 4%12

Despite the fact that all-inclusive holidays accounted for 15% of all UK holidays taken last year, 50% were still booked as package deal.13 That is where accommodation and travel are provided together for one cost.  

But what about the increased risks of taking a holiday abroad? How can you take adequate steps to protect yourself before, during and after your holiday?

Holiday Safety – How to Better Protect Yourself Abroad

If the figures quoted in the introduction to this article sound scary to you, there’s no need to be alarmed. There are plenty of simple steps you can take to protect yourself, ensuring that you have as care-free and stress-free a holiday as possible.

Let’s start by addressing what you need to pack in your luggage that can help to ensure you remain healthy whilst abroad.

What to Take with You?

One of the most obvious – yet quite often forgotten – items to take with you is a travel first aid kit. Not only can they contain useful items such as bandages and plasters in the event of an injury, but you can also stock them full with useful medication such as anti-sickness tablets or antidiarrheal medication (such as Imodium) should illness strike.

Remember to always check what the local laws are surrounding medications before bringing them into a foreign country. Since some nations class opioid-based painkillers as controlled substances, bringing them into the country could land you in hot water with local authorities.

If you are travelling to a destination where you are expecting a lot of sunshine, make sure to pack some good quality sun cream. Make sure it is not older than a couple of years, and if you’re buying a fresh bottle, make sure you pay attention to the information contained on the back.

Look for sunscreen that protects from both UVA and UVB rays, sometimes referred to as “broad spectrum”. Star ratings on the bottle indicate how well the sun cream blocks UVA rays – with 5 stars rated as the best. The SPF refers to how well the sun cream protects against UVB rays. 50+ is rated as the strongest form of protection.

9 million Brits have admitted to getting sunburnt every single time they go abroad.14 The key to avoiding this is to regularly reapply your sunscreen. This is particularly the case after spending time in either the sea or a swimming pool, regardless of whether a sun cream label says it’s water resistant or not. Finally, it’s useful to bring items such as mosquito repellent to avoid getting irritated skin or itchy bites that could put a damper on your holiday. Note that these sprays should not be used as a defence against malaria, as you should also be taking anti-malarial medication (this will be covered in more detail shortly) to protect yourself from that threat.

Make Sure You Have Travel Insurance

As already indicated, an alarming number of Brits head abroad without taking out any travel insurance. The latest figures suggest that as many as 2 in every 5 travellers do not have proper insurance cover when on holiday abroad.15 Not doing so could leave you footing a bill of thousands or – in some scenarios – millions of pounds for medical care you received whilst outside of the UK.   

Thinking disaster won’t strike you because it never has done in the past is a foolish approach. 3,000 Brits need emergency treatment every single week, meaning you are only ever one poorly-cooked meal or one misjudged step away from an astronomical medical bill.16

Another mistake to make is to think that an EHIC card covers your medical expenses within Europe. In actual fact, all it entitles you to is access to state medical care. You will still be charged for items such as an air ambulance call out or repatriation to the UK. Either of both of those could cost you several thousands of pounds without adequate insurance.

You also need to check your travel insurance policy before travelling. Many banking customers have a travel insurance policy included as part of benefits package. However, these policies are often limited in their scope. It’s not uncommon for these types of policies to only cover you for travel within Europe or to exclude winter sports such as skiing.

Once you’ve taken out cover and checked the wording to ensure that you are properly covered in the event of a medical emergency, make sure to bring a copy of your documents with you. That way you have the information ready to give to medical practitioners so you can receive treatment. It will also provide you with the 24-hour claims number, that you’ll need to call in case of an emergency.

Check You’ve Got the Correct Vaccinations

Travel vaccinations are often completely forgotten about when it comes to Brits travelling abroad. Only 20% of British travellers bother to check which vaccinations they may need and as much as 60% of British tourists shun travel vaccinations altogether before departing for their holiday destination.17,18

Holidaymakers often wrongly assume that travel vaccinations are associated with far-flung parts of the world. But if we take the example of the UK’s most popular holiday destination (Spain), travellers would still be well advised to take Polio, Diphtheria, and Tetanus jabs. Yet despite the fact that these particular vaccines are free on the NHS, many British tourists choose to go without them.

For more adventurous destinations, cost is a frequent reason given for not taking the necessary jabs. Taking the example of Peru, vaccinations could easily run into the hundreds of pounds for travellers looking to protect themselves from diseases such as Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Yellow Fever and BCG. That’s before even estimating the cost of buying enough medication for the purpose of malaria prophylaxis.

However, when you compare the cost of vaccinations against a) the overall cost of the trip and b) the potential cost to your health, those initial costs soon pale into insignificance. Better still, in most cases one vaccination should be enough to last you the rest of your life. Some countries also have a legal requirement for tourists to present jab certifications upon entry. Failure to do so could see you turned around and sent back home.

Therefore, make sure to check what you need and crucially when you need to have taken it by so that the vaccination has spent enough time in your system for you to be issued with the requisite certificates.

Make Sure You’re Adequately Prepared for Your Next Trip

Brits are dedicating an increasing amount of their allocated holiday days to travel to foreign destinations, whilst making the most of their well earnt cash. Whilst Spain and other popular European destinations still fill the top ten locations for UK holidaymakers, an increasing amount of travellers are taking the leap to locations much further afield such as Japan, Cuba, Thailand and countries within South America.

City breaks are proving the most popular choice for British tourists, with beach breaks following closely behind. Despite the collapse of some major operators, package holidays still account for 50% of all holidays sold in Britain, with a major increase in the amount of holidays sold to locations outside of Europe. As British tourists spread their wings to more exotic locations, the shocking amount of travellers who have neither travel insurance, nor the correct travel vaccinations, has been brought into sharp focus.

Here at DocHQ, we’ve decided to act by shaking up the travel vaccines market.

Our brand new online tool allows travellers to understand what vaccinations they need by simply entering a destination and the dates of travel. Our online tool will then tell you what you need, how many days you need to take it before departure, and we will even help you find your nearest clinic to have the jabs.

Coming soon, you will be able to complete an online form to help determin the best course of malaria prophylaxis based on your medical history. We will arrange the delivery of the anti-malarial medication direct to your door for you, taking any hassle out of the process. 

Maybe you are thinking about holidaying with friends, travelling to Jerusalem or perhaps going on a cruise! When you finally book that holiday, what do you do next?

Check what travel vaccine you require before your trip, here with DocHQ.

References

  1. Association of British Insurers – https://www.abi.org.uk/news/news-articles/2019/06/3000-brits-require-emergency-treatment-abroad-every-week-as-average-medical-claim-surpasses-1300/
  2. ABTA – https://www.abta.com/news/10-million-holidaymakers-travelled-abroad-without-right-cover-last-year
  3. Columbus Direct – https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/797003/travel-vaccinations-holiday-death-tropical-diseases
  4. Office For National Statistics – https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/deathsregisteredinenglandandwalesseriesdrreferencetables
  5. Finder – https://www.finder.com/uk/outbound-tourism-statistics
  6. Finder – https://www.finder.com/uk/outbound-tourism-statistics
  7. Statista –   https://www.statista.com/statistics/578815/most-visited-countries-united-kingdom-uk-residents/
  8. Finder – https://www.finder.com/uk/outbound-tourism-statistics
  9. Travel Weekly – http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/304159/visit-orlando-hails-visitor-number-landmark
  10. ABTA Holiday Habits Report – https://www.abta.com/sites/default/files/2018-10/Holiday%20Habits%20Report%202018%20011018.pdf
  11. FTN News – https://ftnnews.com/tours/35473-most-popular-holiday-destinations-for-british-in-2018
  12. ABTA Holiday Habits Report – https://www.abta.com/sites/default/files/2018-10/Holiday%20Habits%20Report%202018%20011018.pdf
  13. ABTA Holiday Habits Report – https://www.abta.com/sites/default/files/2018-10/Holiday%20Habits%20Report%202018%20011018.pdf
  14. Daily Mail – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1194664/British-holidaymakers-sunburn-time-abroad.html
  15. ABTA – https://www.abta.com/news/10-million-holidaymakers-travelled-abroad-without-right-cover-last-year
  16. Association of British Insurers – https://www.abi.org.uk/news/news-articles/2019/06/3000-brits-require-emergency-treatment-abroad-every-week-as-average-medical-claim-surpasses-1300/
  17. Columbus Direct – https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/797003/travel-vaccinations-holiday-death-tropical-diseases
  18. This is Money – https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/holidays/article-5824375/Dont-forget-visas-vaccinations-right-travel-insurance-gap-year.html

DocHQ Ltd is a Health Tech company improving choices. We help you connect efficiently to health support and advice whether you are at home, work or travelling. See our website for our services or call us on 0330 088 0645.

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