Latest news with #InsureandGo
Time Out
23-05-2025
- Time Out
The cities tourists are ditching – and where they're heading instead
Every year, there's a brand-new hotspot everyone seems to be flocking to. In 2024, it was all about Marseille, for example – and we have our own ideas about the European destinations set to be big this summer. And now, InsureandGo has joined the debate, armed with Google search data. By analysing year-on-year changes in searches for flights, hotels and itineraries, the insurance company has identified not only which destinations are piquing our interest, but also the ones we're ditching. Havana has seen one of the largest declines, with a drop in year-on-year searches of a hefty 28 percent, and while the Cuban capital brags a tonne of retro charm soundtracked by a rich music culture, people seem to be turning to Bali instead. The southeast Asian destination has seen interest increase by around 16 percent according to the study, and it was recently named not only the most picturesque island in the world, but also one of the best places for culture. In the US, the report shows people are swapping the long sandy beaches of Miami (down 15 percent) for the tower-packed streets of Chicago (which saw an increase of 41 percent). As for Europe, people are swapping Berlin for Innsbruck, and in the West Indies, Nassau has stolen the limelight from Kingston. The top 15 cities tourists are turning away from 1 - Havana2 - Miami3 - Kingston= Nadi5 - GdansK= Las Vegas7 - Apia8 - Stockholm = Brussels10 - Berlin11 - London= Wellington13 - Singapore14 - Dubai= Delhi The top 15 cities tourists are turning to 1 - Tokyo2 - Rio de Janeiro3 - Beijing4 - Lucerne5 - Kuwait City6 - Seville7 - Chicago8 - Belize City9 - Chiang Mai10 - Tbilisi11 - Hanoi12 - Nassau13 - Jakarta14 - Santiago15 - Buenos Aires
Time Out
23-05-2025
- Time Out
Travellers are avoiding London this year, per Google data – here's where they're going instead
There are infinite reasons London is a bucket-list destination for travellers across the globe – its world-class restaurants, its industry defining theatre, its outstanding architecture and its wild and fascinating history, to name but a few. However, if Google data is anything to go by, the Big Smoke seems to be falling out of favour. Travel insurance firm Insure and Go has analysed year-on-year global search trends for flights, hotels and itineraries on Google and discovered that London is one of the destinations for which search interest is going down. Researchers found that there has been a two percent decrease in travel searches for London year on year. While international tourist numbers have increased slightly in the capital, they have remained below the 2017 and 2019 peaks of 21.71 million. The numbers also show that tourist spending in the city and across the UK was down in the first half of 2024. Rising crime, bad weather and high prices could all be reasons for the declining interest. Experts have also cited the UK governments decision to drop tax-free shopping for European visitors as a reason London has become less attractive. Other cities that have reportedly seen a drop in online travel searches include Brussels, Berlin, Stockholm and Las Vegas. At the other end of the spectrum, searches for travel in Tokyo have skyrocketed by 64 percent year on year while interest in Rio de Janeiro has grown by 61 percent and searches for Beijing are up 60 percent. The cities travellers are ditching in 2025, according to Google data (and their percentage decrease) Havana, Cuba - 28 percent Miami, USA - 15 percent Kingston, Jamaica - 11 percent Nadi, Fiji - 11 percent Gdansk, Poland - 9 percent Las Vegas, USA - 9 percent Apia, Samoa - 8 percent Stockholm, Sweden - 5 percent Brussels, Belgium - 5 percent Berlin, Germany - 4 percent London, UK - 2 percent Wellington, New Zealand - 2 percent Singapore - 1 percent Dubai, UAE - 0.3 percent Delhi, Indai - 0.3 percent The cities travellers are turning to in 2025, according to Google data (and their percentage increase) Tokyo, Japan - 64 percent Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 61 percent Beijing, Chine - 60 percent Lucerne, Switzerland - 51 percent Kuwait City, Kuwait - 44 percent Seville, Spain - 43 percent Chicago, USA - 41 percent Belize City, Belize - 39 percent Chiang Mai, Thailand - 38 percent Tbilisi, Georgia - 37 percent Hanoi, Vietnam - 33 percent Nassau, Bahamas - 31 percent Jakarta, Indonesia - 30 percent Santiago, Chile - 29 percent Buenos Aires, Argentina - 28 percent
Scotsman
30-04-2025
- Scotsman
Holiday harmony: Scotland's wellbeing revolution
Stress-free travels: How Scots master the art of holiday recovery Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scottish holidaymakers have mastered what seems impossible for the rest of the UK – the truly relaxing vacation. New research from InsureandGo reveals an extraordinary 78% of Scots remain stress-free on holiday, nearly four times better than London's stressed-out travellers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This remarkable resilience extends to digital habits, with Scottish residents 22% more likely than the national average to disconnect from their devices for extended periods. Their secret? A distinctive travel philosophy that combines weather resilience, minimal social pressure, and a measured approach to technology. Garry Nelson These findings are from new research by InsureandGo, which explored the nation's attitudes to health and wellbeing when planning their holidays for 2025. Scotland's standout statistics · 78% of Scots report being stress-free on holiday – the highest in the UK and nearly 4X better than London's 8%. · Only 13% check work emails on holiday, with 33% able to disconnect digitally for 6+ hours daily – 22% higher than the national average. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad · Just 19% worry about weather on holiday (vs. 28% nationally) – revealing exceptional resilience developed through Scotland's variable home climate. · 11% prefer to travel alone because it's less stressful – significantly higher than the national average of 8%. The Scottish disconnect advantage Scotland's unique wellbeing formula combines digital discipline with social flexibility. Their ability to truly disconnect – with only 13% checking work emails (vs. 15% nationally) and 33% staying off phones for extended periods – creates the foundation for genuine recovery. This digital detachment pairs with their distinctive social approach: 55% use beach/pool holidays for socializing (vs. 52% nationally), while 11% prefer solo travel for maximum relaxation. Garry Nelson, Head of Corporate Affairs at InsureandGo commented: "Scottish holidaymakers present a stark contrast to the rest of the UK, with only 22% reporting significant holiday stress compared to 83% nationally. Their ability to truly disconnect – both mentally and digitally – offers valuable lessons in how to achieve genuine wellbeing benefits through travel in our increasingly connected world." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Can cows predict a hurricane is coming? Debunking one of Florida's strangest superstitions
The 2025 Hurricane Season is right around the corner, and it's never too early to prepare. Just a week ago, on Monday, March 17, the National Hurricane Center issued an advisory about a "non-tropical area of low pressure" in the Atlantic. But as you prepare for the hurricane season in the coming months, remembering what's fact and fiction about major storms is important. Some superstitions are harmless, but others can cost you money. Some Floridians believe harmless weather-related superstitions; like believing a waterspout can be broken with the wave of a knife, or that sparrows hiding under roof ledges means an impending hurricane. But other storm-related beliefs – like taping your windows before a hurricane or using your washing machine as a cooler – can become a safety issue, or cost you money. This week, InsureandGo, a British travel insurance company, released a study on the strangest superstitions from around the world. The U.S. portion of the study was broken down into state-by-state superstitions and Florida's, of course, relates to hurricanes. Here's what Florida's 'strangest superstition' is, according to the study, if it's true, a list of hurricane superstitions and some hurricane preparedness myths to steer clear of. See what to expect: National Hurricane Center lays out changes coming for 2025 season. To find the strangest superstition in each country and U.S. state, InsureandGo analyzed Google searches and local resources to find common superstitions and beliefs in each place. 'Those that were the most unique and unusual were selected, to reveal the most interesting superstitions from around the world,' the study says. According to the study, the most interesting superstition in Florida is the belief that when cows hold their tails upright, it's a sign that a hurricane is coming. Cows actually move and hold their tails out for a variety of different reasons, like to poop, or when they're running or being playful. 'You can get clues to a cow's mood and condition by observing the tail. When the tail is hanging straight down, the cow is relaxed, grazing, or walking, but when the tail is tucked between the cow's legs, it means the animal is cold, sick, or frightened,' According to Berkeley. 'During mating, threat, or investigation, the tail hangs away from the body. When galloping, the tail is held straight out, and a kink can be observed when the animal is in a bucking, playful mood.' It's also commonly believed that cattle lie down before a storm, which doesn't have any scientific evidence to support it. Cows lay down to rest and chew their cud. One theory suggests that cows can sense when the moisture in the air increases and lay down to preserve a dry patch of grass. The 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season will begin on Sunday, June 1, and end on Sunday, Nov. 30. Hurricane myths and superstitions are abundant in the southeast. Quake Kare, a Missouri-based company that manufactures and supplies ER Emergency Ready disaster preparedness kits and supplies, has a list of common hurricane-related superstitions. Here's the list: Some sailors believe that St. Elmo's fire is a hurricane warning from Mother Nature. The spectacle occurs at sea when the air is heavily charged with static electricity. It manifests in small balls of fire on the tips of yard arms and spars. Before a hurricane hits coastal regions, dogs, cats and horses become restless and if not confined will run away. When a cow carries its tail upright, it is a sign of a coming hurricane. When sparrows hide under hedges or roof ledges, a hurricane is coming. When an alligator opens his jaws with an extra-long bellow, a hurricane is imminent. A bountiful citrus crop means no hurricanes will occur locally, but a bountiful mango crop means that a hurricane will occur locally. Always carry a red onion in your pocket during hurricane season and you will survive any bad storm. If you see a waterspout in the ocean, wave a butcher knife back and forth and the spout will break up and no storm will occur. If a migrant bird lands at a spot that has been devastated by storms, it will continue onward looking for better stopover areas. Weeds cut during hurricane season will stay gone, but not if cut at any other time of year. 2025 hurricane season: National Hurricane Center's 1st advisory of 2025 season should be wake-up call. Here's what to do While the above list of myths are fairly harmless, other commonly believed myths about how to prepare for hurricanes can get you into trouble and cost you money. Here's a couple of common misconceptions about hurricane preparation that could save you money and time this hurricane season: Taping your windows to protect them: Some Floridians believe that taping a big X across their windows before a major storm will keep them from shattering in hurricane-force winds. But if your windows are not designed to withstand the impact of hurricane-force winds and the debris they pick up, the strongest tape on the market can't even keep them from shattering during a storm. If you don't have hurricane windows or impact windows, built for severe weather conditions, taping them will do nothing. It could even be more dangerous. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), if a window is taped, when it breaks, the glass will shatter into large, life-threatening shards. FEMA says that if your window breaks, it's better for it to shatter into smaller pieces of glass that are less likely to seriously injure you. Don't use your washing machine as a cooler: You may have heard of people filling their washing machines with ice during storm prep. Some swear that it's a convenient way to repurpose your washing machine into a cooler to keep food and drinks from spoiling when the power goes out. It seems like a great idea at first thought; the washing machine has a built-in drain for when the ice melts, after all. But TikTok creator Renae, @renduh, an appliance tech who used to live in Florida, posted a video during hurricane season 2023 to warn viewers that it's unsanitary and could ruin your washing machine. This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Hurricane Season 2025 storm myths, superstitions not to fall for
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Young Aussies ditch house buying for new travel trend: 'Cut their losses'
With the Australian dream of owning your own home slowly becoming a pipe dream for many people, a decent portion of them are turning their attention to travel instead. New research has revealed that nearly half (45 per cent) of Aussies aged 18 to 44 years agree that buying a home is out of reach for them. As a result, they're looking for short-term wins like seeing the world, even if it affects their savings. Michelle Cheah is one of those people and told Yahoo Finance property ownership has become far too expensive. "As a young-ish, single-income owner, it doesn't really make sense to put all my eggs in one basket, especially if I want to change jobs in the future or something like that," she said. Outrage as young Aussie spends $50,000 'house deposit' on Europe trip: 'No regrets' Rare new gold 50c coins for Australians worth $20: 'Beauty' Tax deductions for high-income earners to pocket $50,000: 'Most people miss' The 29-year-old tech worker from Sydney said she's watched many friends work hard to get a foot on the property ladder, but she added that it's not without a few downsides. "They've moved way out of suburbia to Penrith and Gosford and even interstate to Perth," she said. "So what are you really sacrificing when you're purchasing a property? "I guess if you're in a family and you're ready to settle down, it does make sense to purchase that property because you have that security and that knowing that you won't get kicked out of a place."But as a person who doesn't necessarily need that security at my age and would rather prioritise other things, it just makes sense." Brianna Smith was in the same boat when she forked out $50,000 on the trip of a lifetime. She copped some flak from people who thought it was irresponsible and and waste of money that could have gone towards a property. But the Aussie in her 20s she said it was absolutely worth it. "You don't know what's going to happen in the future, like, you could die tomorrow. And I'd rather see the Northern Lights than, you know, see nothing," she said. "I feel like I learned so much and gained a lot of skills as well, just through being independent and things like that overseas, which has definitely helped me, since coming back home as well. "So I wouldn't trade it for the world." Additional research from InsureandGo found 71 per cent of Aussies under 30 would rather travel than buy a house in the next 12 months. That dropped to 65 per cent for people aged 31-50 and only 51 per cent for Aussies aged over 50. It's no wonder when the average mortgage these days costs roughly 6.4 times the average income and some areas are expected to dramatically jump in price this year. Cheah had saved up around $60,000 to $70,000 for a deposit, which she admitted is the "bare minimum" to buy in her area, but realised she didn't want to blow it all on a home. So, she decided to travel and enjoy the time she has right now because, ultimately, that would "feed her soul" far more than having the keys to a place. "In the past year, I took my parents to Europe to meet my sister, I got to go to Bali for a friend's wedding, I travelled to Singapore because I have family there, and just recently I went to San Francisco for work," she said. "It's been really amazing." She has a few more trips up her sleeve this year but said her previous holidays haven't dented her home deposit too much. "I just think it's being smart with money," she told Yahoo Finance. "You're not gonna spend like $1,000 every night... Europe is quite expensive, but there are definitely ways to save if you stay in the right place and you don't have to take a train or an Uber every day." The 29-year-old hasn't completely given up on property ownership and hopes to one day have the keys to her castle. But she isn't going to waste her youth scrimping and saving every cent in pursuit of that hope. Interestingly, Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) discovered that while many young Aussies want to head off and travel, some older people are "doing the opposite". Nearly two in five (38 per cent) parents 45 years and above are cutting their travel budgets because they want some cash to give to their kids or grandkids as an inheritance to help them get into the property market. 'We know that the cost-of-living and housing crises are having significant impacts on Australians, but what our research reveals is an interesting contradiction when it comes to analysing the priorities of Aussies by generation,' Jo McCauley, CEO at SCTI, said. 'The younger generations seem to be embodying the 'she'll be right' attitude, comfortable to cut their losses when it comes to the housing market in order to seek adventure. "Whereas their parents are doing the exact opposite in the hopes of saving to contribute to their children's housing dreams – a show of sacrifice and resilience by the older generations."
