Travel assistance providers report more medical cases during July heatwave
Last July, travel assistance providers in Belgium reported a significant increase in medical cases, which they attributed to persistent heatwaves in popular holiday destinations.
Touring saw a 4 per cent increase in requests for medical support, while Europ Assistance reported a 15 per cent rise. Ethias reported a seven per cent increase in the number of medical files opened. This surge is linked to higher temperatures, which have caused food to spoil more quickly and led to more cases of heatstroke.
Touring experienced a modest 1 per cent increase in total assistance cases compared to July 2023, primarily affecting travellers in France, Spain, Turkey, Italy, Morocco, and Greece. The number of medical cases increased slightly (by 0.5 per cent), with a notable rise in gastrointestinal infections caused by spoiled food. Other cases involved dehydration and heat-related incidents during extreme sports activities. Some travellers required hospitalisation due to heatstroke, and Touring repatriated 517 individuals.
More EVs on the road
Technical assistance cases revealed an increasing number of electric vehicles (EVs) being used for holiday travel. Another major roadside assistance provider, VAB, reported a 35 per cent increase in EV-related issues. Of these, 72 per cent were due to charging problems. The most common technical issues across the board were tyre failures (30 per cent) and engine trouble (20 per cent), with 16 per cent of cases relating to vehicles failing to start.
Nearly half of all assistance cases originated in France. The remainder of the top five destinations remained unchanged from previous years: the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Spain. Notably, VAB observed a decrease in the number of accidents, with only 5 per cent of its files relating to road collisions. However, Europ Assistance recorded an 18 per cent increase in vehicle breakdowns compared to the previous summer.
© DPA
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