Despite the severe wildfires currently impacting parts of France and Spain, Swedish interest in traveling to Southern Europe remains resilient. According to reports from airlines and various travel agencies, there has been no noticeable decline in bookings for the region.
Catharina Solli, press manager at the airline Norwegian, confirmed that flight tickets to Bordeaux—the destination in their network closest to the fire-stricken areas—are still being purchased for the coming days. The airline has not observed an increase in cancellations compared to previous years. While their customer service team has fielded inquiries from travelers concerned about whether the airport remains operational, Solli noted that the airport is functioning and the company continues to monitor updates from authorities closely.
Travel agencies contacted regarding the situation have echoed these findings, reporting that customers are not cancelling their planned trips. Louise Jellvi, a press communicator at the travel agency Ticket, noted that while some travelers reach out for advice to ensure their specific destination is not directly affected by the fires, the overall trend remains positive. In fact, Ticket has recorded an increase in trips to France and Spain over the past week compared to the same period last year. Specifically, between July 21st and July 27th, bookings for Spain rose by 29 percent, while bookings for France saw a 22 percent increase.
Travel expert Lottie Knutson suggests that these persistent travel habits may be due to the fact that most summer trips are booked well in advance, making cancellations complex. She noted that travel habits are often deeply ingrained, and while this year's fires are unusually severe, the public is aware of the situation. Knutson pointed out that while past events like conflicts in the Middle East or political sentiments regarding U.S. leadership have altered travel patterns, the current fire crisis has not yet shifted Swedish behavior. However, she believes that if the fires persist, more travelers may eventually avoid Southern Europe during peak heat months, leading to a shift toward booking closer to departure and prioritizing refundable tickets.
Official response from France has also encouraged continued tourism. On Tuesday, French Trade and Tourism Minister Serge Papin urged visitors not to automatically cancel their stays in fire-affected areas, expressing optimism about reopening evacuated zones that have avoided direct fire damage by August.
Regarding consumer rights, the Swedish Consumer Agency, Konsumverket, clarifies that there is no statutory right of withdrawal for air travel, as individual airline terms apply. However, the Package Travel Act provides protections for travelers, allowing for the cancellation and refund of package trips without fees in the event of extraordinary circumstances, such as large-scale forest fires at the destination.
