With the increased terror threat levels abroad now, more and more people are turning to weekend breaks. After the terrible incident in Tunisia back in June, many other countries have been put on high alert. Meaning that there could be potential risks for holidaymakers. Governments across the globe have been issuing warnings. Mainly against certain types of travel and vacation destinations. This has led to more people taking weekend and city breaks, to avoid the ‘no-go’ zones.
Countries on High Alert
The two most recent countries to be put on high alert are Tunisia and Turkey. It is thought that Tunisia is likely to be the target of another attack in the future. Many holiday companies are now refunding or changing holidays that were booked to this destination. Turkey has only recently been added to the list, by the UK government. It is thought that public transportation in Istanbul is the highest risk. Although, areas of the country close to Syria have been deemed as unsafe for quite some time. France has also seen more danger in recent months, making it a worry for potential holidaymakers. There have been several terrorist attacks on various parts of the country. Making it unsafe for many travellers. Finally, Greece is another European country that many people are avoiding. Its political unrest and close proximity to Turkey means that it could be a danger for tourists.
Weekend and City Breaks
More and more people are now turning to weekend and city breaks, instead of their usual package holidays. Some of the most popular destinations for longer holidays are now some of the most dangerous. This has led to people considering other options, such as European city breaks. Destinations in the north of Europe have proved the most popular, including The Netherlands and Denmark. HouseTrip has seen a surge of people looking for apartments in places such as Amsterdam, suitable for weekend breaks. Many people see North Europe as one of the safest areas of the world to visit. As it’s rarely subjected to terror threats or attacks. The UK and France excluded, of course.
What’s Next?
Unfortunately, nobody knows what is going to happen next. The tourist industry has taken a real hit due to these terror attacks. And, we don’t know of those effects will be long-lasting. It may be that people turn to city and weekend breaks for good. Favouring those over sunny, package holidays in destinations that are prime targets. With plenty of countries on high alert at the moment, it’s difficult to predict what will happen in the future. Of course, travel companies are hoping that things quieten down again by next summer. Or at least in time for winter breaks in the sun. Especially as many of them have had to refund customers and lost money as a result.
It’s a positive sign that people haven’t been put off travelling completely. They’re simply finding alternative options to their usual destinations. The rise in weekend and city breaks means that holiday companies won’t go out of business due to the terror attacks. It also means people can still enjoy their summers, relatively risk-free.
