BERLIN, July 2026 — As wildfires continue across parts of Europe, many travelers with trips booked to southwest France and central Spain are wondering what to do next. Travel expert Chelsea Dickenson, known as The Holiday Expert, shares her advice with GetYourGuide.
While one French minister urged holidaymakers to not cancel their trips, neighboring and international governments are advising anyone in or planning to travel to an affected area to follow instructions from local authorities and emergency services – and check with their accommodation or travel provider before traveling.
But with fast-moving fires and shifting travel advice, many are struggling to know what that means for their own specific plans, especially if they didn't book the trip themselves. New GetYourGuide research found that less than a quarter of Brits say they're in charge of organising the trip.
The Holiday Expert Chelsea Dickenson says everyone in the group needs to pull their weight this summer, not just whoever did the planning. If you're one of the nearly half of Brits who've muted a group chat to dodge that responsibility, it's time to turn the notifications back on.
The Holiday Expert’s five tips for traveling during the wild fires
- Sign up for alerts: For Brits, the FCDO's Foreign Travel Advice service sends live email updates on the wildfires and how they might affect your trip. It's the most trusted source, so keep checking it. If you're one of the three in four Brits who don't lead on holiday planning, now's the time to get clued up. It’s key that everyone in the group checks their own travel details and insurance, not just the person who booked it.
- Look for flexibility: If you do need to cancel or change your destination, flexible policies are key. Did you book a package holiday? Speak to your provider. Did you book independently? Speak to the airline and hotel separately, as they'll each have different policies, so read the fine print carefully. Many travel platforms, including GetYourGuide, offer flexible cancellation policies that give you room to change your plans.
- Don't cancel automatically: Check whether the specific place you're visiting in France or Spain has actually been affected. If it has, speak to your provider about changing your destination before you cancel outright.
- Double check your travel insurance: Annual policies often renew automatically without a second look, and recent events, from the wildfires to the impact of the US-Iran conflict, may not be covered. Check now, before you need it.
- Keep your evidence: If your trip is impacted, save screenshots, emails and receipts showing cancellations, closures or evacuation instructions. It'll make claiming easier once you're home.
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About GetYourGuide
GetYourGuide is a leading global online marketplace to discover and book experiences worth traveling for. Travelers can use GetYourGuide to find things to do in more than 18,000 cities, including tours from local experts, exclusive access to must-see attractions, as well as immersive bucket-list experiences. More than 50,000 supply partners leverage GetYourGuide’s easy-to-use platform to grow their businesses, offering 200,000 experiences to travelers around the world. For more information, follow GetYourGuide on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok and visit getyourguide.com.
About Chelsea Dickinson
Travel expert Chelsea Dickenson, known as The Holiday Expert, has planned more than 100 holidays, built a following of 600,000 travelers on Instagram, and is a regular guest on ITV’s This Morning. Chelsea is also available for interview if you’d like to hear more about her advice and other tips to holiday-goers.
Photos of Chelsea Dickenson available to download here
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Should I cancel my trip to France or Spain because of the 2026 wildfires?
A: Not automatically. Travel expert Chelsea Dickenson advises checking whether the specific place you're visiting has actually been affected before cancelling. One French minister has urged holidaymakers not to cancel trips outright, while governments advise following instructions from local authorities and checking with your accommodation or travel provider first.
Q: What should I do if my holiday is in a wildfire-affected area?
A: Speak to your provider before cancelling. If you booked a package holiday, contact that provider directly; if you booked independently, check with the airline and hotel separately, since each will have different policies. Many platforms, including GetYourGuide, offer flexible cancellation policies that give travelers room to change plans if a destination is genuinely affected.
Q: Does GetYourGuide offer flexible cancellation?
A: Yes. GetYourGuide offers flexible cancellation policies on many activities, allowing travelers to change or adjust plans when circumstances like severe weather or natural disasters affect their trip. Travelers should check the specific cancellation terms for their booking.
Q: How can travelers stay updated on wildfire risk while planning or during a trip?
A: Travel expert Chelsea Dickenson recommends signing up for official alerts — for UK travelers, the FCDO's Foreign Travel Advice service sends live updates on how wildfires may affect a trip. She also advises that everyone in a travel group check their own travel details and insurance, not just whoever booked the trip.
Q: Is travel insurance automatically valid during a wildfire or other emergency?
A: Not necessarily. Annual travel insurance policies often auto-renew without a second look, and events like wildfires or geopolitical conflict may not be covered under an existing policy. Travelers are advised to check their coverage before an emergency happens, not after.
Q: What evidence should travelers keep if their trip is disrupted by a wildfire?
A: Travelers should save screenshots, emails, and receipts documenting cancellations, closures, or evacuation instructions. This documentation makes it significantly easier to file an insurance or provider claim once travelers are back home.
Q: What is GetYourGuide?
A: GetYourGuide is a leading global online marketplace to discover and book experiences worth traveling for, covering more than 18,000 cities. More than 50,000 supply partners offer over 200,000 experiences to travelers through the platform.
