Recent research highlights the significant reliance of UK holidaymakers on Foreign Office advice.
- Three-quarters of travellers avoid destinations marked unsafe by the FCDO, even if offered free trips.
- Safety and security top holiday priorities, with 78% considering them crucial when planning trips.
- Advice accuracy plays a critical role, especially for travel decisions concerning Asia and Europe.
- Ongoing calls for revisions in FCDO advice reflect concerns over outdated and misleading information.
A recent poll underscores UK travellers’ heavy dependence on guidance from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), as industry advocates continue their efforts to push for more precise travel recommendations. Conducted by Experience Travel Group and The Specialist Travel Association, the study involved 4,000 UK adults, revealing that 74% would reject a complimentary holiday if the FCDO deemed the destination unsafe. Safety and security surfaced as paramount, with 78% of participants citing them as their primary concerns when booking holidays.
The research found that 61% of respondents depended on the FCDO’s accuracy for their travel decisions. It highlighted a regional disparity: while 73% of respondents checked government advice for Asian countries, only 46% did so for European destinations.
These findings coincide with continued advocacy by Experience Travel Group for updates to FCDO advice, particularly regarding destinations like Sri Lanka, which they argue are portrayed inaccurately. The group criticises current advisories as overly severe and outdated, potentially leaving travellers misinformed. The group’s open letter, supported by UK parliamentarians, Sri Lankan travel firms, and notable figures like former cricketer Kumar Sangakkara, condemns the current narrative that negatively impacts Sri Lanka’s economy, where tourism is a vital contributor.
ETG’s chief executive, Sam Clark, asserts that the existing FCDO advice ‘is stuck in the past,’ failing to reflect the current realities of Sri Lanka in 2024. Clark emphasises the alarming nature of the advice’s wording, which is perceived as misleadingly severe. His concerns are echoed by statistics in the survey showing that 68% would likely cancel their bookings after reading the current guidance.
Complementing Clark’s stance, Aito executive director Martyn Sumners states that the FCDO’s guidance substantially influences which countries travellers prefer. Sumners stresses that current advice bears significant consequences for tourists, the travel industry, and destination economies, urging fairness and accuracy in official recommendations.
FCDO advice remains crucial to UK holidaymakers, underscoring the need for up-to-date and precise travel guidance.
