Urgent warning to Brits visiting holiday hotspot over surge in breathing issues

06 November 2023 , 10:06

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Brits in a popular holiday destination have been hit with a host of breathing problems (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A host of Brits in holiday destinations have been hit with breathing problems, recent figures show.

Holidaymakers in Spain's Costa Blanca and destinations in Greece and Italy have been left wheezing as poor air quality has triggered allergies and respiratory conditions, according to the study. As well as setting off conditions such as asthma, the issue is also leaving Brits out of pocket.

The survey by Avanti Travel Insurance found that tourists were spending an average of £37 each time on treatment or remedies for their breathing issues while staying abroad. And only 13% of people travelling abroad meanwhile check the air quality status before doing so, the survey of 2,000 UK adults found.

Professor Frank Kelly, of Imperial College London, said those with breathing issues should avoid the worst places for air quality. According to the European Environment Agency, the worst recorded spots in 2021 and 2022 were Cremona in North West Italy, Slavonski Brod in Croatia and Nowy Sacz in Poland. Tourist hotspots Paris, Rome, Barcelona and the Canary Islands also rated badly.

Prof Kelly told The Sun: “Tourists can come up against airborne particles and noxious gases associated with ill health — even after short-term exposures. This is especially the case for vulnerable groups such as the young, the elderly and people with cardio-respiratory disease.”

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Kelly Johnstone, from Avanti Insurance, said: “It’s worth knowing which destinations might not be ideal.”

Susie Beever