Your Summer Holiday Might Be One March Away From Disaster

As Irish people, we’re used to — and dare I say, take pride in — adjusting plans at a moment’s notice. Take the Irish weather for example: one drop of rain and your outdoor Hyrox session has turned into a session-session, where your mate’s weird uncle is playing the spoons in the corner and someone’s after putting on a ‘90s dance classics playlist under one of those tiny plug-in disco balls. That kind of chaos? That’s our comfort zone.

But this summer, it’s not just the weather that might derail your plans — it’s protests, power cuts, and a rising wave of “anti-tourism” sentiment across Europe. Some of the most popular destinations for Irish tourists are now facing growing unrest with a lack of certainty around what you might walk into when you land.

Irish tourists are being urged to double-check their travel insurance as cities across Spain, Portugal and France have already seen blackouts and public unrest. In places like Barcelona, Lisbon and parts of southern France, locals have taken to the streets protesting mass tourism — and further demonstrations are expected over the coming months.

Peopl Insurance is now warning travellers to read the fine print on their policies, especially when it comes to delays or disruptions caused by public protests or even armed conflicts. The Department of Foreign Affairs has also chimed in, advising that anyone heading to Spain this summer should be ready to change their plans “at short notice.”

So before you book that sun lounger, make sure you’re not gambling with your getaway. Because the only thing worse than a cancelled flight is realising your insurance doesn’t cover a single cent of it.