LONDON, Nov. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — At a time of year when people reflect on their holiday experiences, 53% of Brits say they have witnessed beach pollution on their travels during 2023 – with staycationers being those most likely to call-out seaside shame at domestic UK beaches.
InsureandGo Travel Insurance surveyed a representative sample of 2,077 adults to gain an in-depth understanding of viewpoints on beach pollution from a range of age groups. For younger adults aged under 35, two thirds said they had experienced polluted beaches on their travels this year (66%).
Spain and Turkey were highlighted for beach pollution, with 15% and 12% of young adults aged 25-34 respectively reporting such experiences. In the UK, England, Scotland, and Wales were among the top five locations for polluted beaches, with 33% of people aged 35-44 singling out England’s beaches. In contrast, only 2% reported polluted beaches in the Netherlands.
Of all people surveyed, many said that the beaches they visited had all been good (47%), with six in ten over 65s agreeing to this statement (63%). For the younger generation, it was the opposite – with six in ten people aged 18-34 saying that at least one beach they’d visited was polluted (66%).
Garry Nelson, Head of Corporate Affairs at InsureandGo commented: “At a time when climate change is altering the lives of billions of people globally, this research reminds us that there are more issues at play than soaring temperatures and rising sea levels. The pollution of the sea is a major issue and we need to ensure tourism is not adding to the problem. Our new research shares the UK population’s view on the damaging effects plastic pollution and ocean-dumping is having on the environment.
“On a local level, we at InsureandGo take this issue very seriously in our community. This year, our Southend-based colleagues have given up work-time to support beach cleaning days at the local beach. These community days are part of a broader programme of daily beach cleans led by Southend-on-Sea City Council. The project aims to ensure the town’s seven miles of coastline from Shoeburyness to Leigh-on-Sea remain a clean and safe environment for all to enjoy over the summer months.”