The German Federal Government has reminded travelers of their rights regarding package holidays, particularly in light of increasingly apparent climate change impacts in the Mediterranean region.
In a response to a parliamentary inquiry from the Green Party, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action stated that travelers have the right to withdraw from a package holiday contract at any time before departure. While a travel operator may be entitled to reasonable compensation for such cancellation, this does not apply if the withdrawal is due to unavoidable, extraordinary circumstances at the destination or in its immediate vicinity that significantly impair the execution of the trip or transport.
The ministry clarified that if the travel price has already been paid, in full or in part, the travel operator is obligated to promptly refund the payment, within a maximum of 14 days. This obligation also applies if the operator cancels the package holiday due to unavoidable, extraordinary circumstances.
The response follows a period of extreme weather events in the Mediterranean, including temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, wildfires, drought, water scarcity and harmful algal blooms. The ministry directed travelers to resources such as the Robert Koch Institute and the Foreign Office’s travel advisories for further information.
Regarding the upcoming national tourism strategy currently under development, the ministry did not specify whether it would contain specific recommendations for travelers concerning climate change. It noted, however, that the national climate adaptation strategy is also applicable to the tourism sector.
Green Party politician Stefan Schmidt criticized the government’s response, arguing it fails to adequately address the growing economic risks facing the travel industry and the increasing health risks for travelers posed by climate change impacts.