Three-quarters of Brits would turn down free holiday over ‘misleading’ safety advice

• Poll of 4,000 people reveals Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office travel advice has huge influence on tourism
• Over three-quarters of respondents check government advice before travelling to Asia, and nearly 7 in 10 would cancel their trip over the guidance
• Leading travel provider, Experience Travel Group, condemns “misleading” government travel advice for Sri Lanka its detrimental impact on the country’s economy

A new poll has revealed that three in every four British tourists (74%) would turn down a free holiday if the Foreign Office travel advice suggested a destination was unsafe. Commissioned by Experience Travel Group and the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), the poll found that 78% rank safety and security as their top priority when booking a holiday, and the majority (61%) of Brits depend on the accuracy of the FCDO travel advice to make travel decisions. 

However, the integrity of the FCDO guidance has been condemned by the leading travel providers, who argue it is misleading and out-of-date, leaving holidaymakers ill-informed and harming the economy of low-income countries that rely on tourism. 

The poll also revealed that British travellers are much more likely to seek out government advice when booking a holiday in Asia, with 73% saying they would do so. Comparatively, only 46% would do the same for a European trip. 

Last month, The Independent published an open letter launched by Experience Travel Group condemning the FCDO travel advice for Sri Lanka, one of the countries the campaign claims has been branded with “overly harsh” warnings. 

The letter warns the travel advice for Sri Lanka “systematically undermines the travel industry,” and was signed by prominent UK parliamentarians, Sri Lankan travel providers, and celebrities including former cricket star Kumar Sangakkara. 

One in five Sri Lankans rely on income generated by tourism, and the campaign warns that the FCDO advice, which warns of violent unrest and indiscriminate attacks perpetuates an “unduly damaging” narrative that is damaging the low-income country’s economy. 

Experience Travel Group CEO Sam Clark said: “The FCDO advice, as it stands, is stuck in the past. It is not reflective of the Sri Lanka of 2024, and it is concerning that government guidance that is relied on by so many to keep them safe could be so out of date and misleading. We understand the British public’s concerns regarding the advice for Sri Lanka. The wording is alarming, and you would, of course, assume the government advice is accurate – but it is not.”

“While the Covid pandemic and an economic crisis turning political led to widespread protests and a temporary shortage of essential goods in 2022, the $ 2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund allowed the economy to stabilise and the political situation to calm. FCDO guidance needs to keep up with events.”

The impact of the FCDO guidance is backed up by the polling, which revealed that 68% would go as far as to cancel a booked holiday in Sri Lanka if they read the guidance as it is currently phrased. 

AITO Executive Director Martyn Sumners said: “The FCDO guidance is clearly a leading factor in which countries are selected by holidaymakers. The advice has a huge impact on the individual traveller, the tourism industry, and the economy of the destination country. Ministers owe it to both travellers and international partners to make sure the guidance is fair, consistent, and accurate.”

Armed with this new data confirming the impact of the FCDO guidance, the campaign will continue to press the Foreign Office to reform its approach to travel guidance. The group is calling for reliable, up-to-date, and consistent advice across all countries so it can once again be trusted.