NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is predicting an above-average hurricane season this year. However, travel insurance aggregator, Squaremouth.com, says an uptick in tropical weather shouldn't cause a major impact for summer travellers.

 

Due to the opening of European borders, Caribbean destinations most prone to summer hurricanes will see less travellers this summer than over the past two years. Earlier this year, Squaremouth reported a spike in trips to Europe.

This summer, US tourists are returning to Italy, the UK, and France more than any other countries, replacing tropical getaways that remained open and popular throughout the pandemic, including Costa Rica, Turks and Caicos, and the Virgin Islands. This summer, the only tropical destination among Squaremouth's top 10 most popular countries is Mexico, with Canada and the Philippines being the only other non-European countries included on the list.

Covid-19 still more concerning to travellers than hurricanes
88% of customers on Squaremouth.com indicated they weren't worried about a hurricane impacting their travels this summer. Of those travellers, almost 40% are planning to travel to Europe, compared to just 16% visiting the Caribbean.

In comparison, 40% of summer travellers have specifically sought out coverage for contracting Covid-19, including cancellation, medical, and quarantine benefits. This is by far the biggest concern for travellers this summer.

Most travel insurance policies on Squaremouth.com include coverage for contracting Covid-19, as well as Hurricane and Weather benefits at no additional cost.