It’s the kind of notion that might have seemed rather silly just a few years ago – although of course, the financial picture for many of us has changed drastically in the space of just a few months, never mind years.
Yes, we’re daring to ask the question: would you be well-advised to book a Costa del Sol break in the coming months as a means of swerving the scarily high energy bills that great numbers of people in colder parts of Europe are now facing?
“Thermal tourism” is being taken increasingly seriously
If you’ve been reading the newspapers lately, you might have come across a few references to this phenomenon. It has already had some catchy terms attached to it, such as “energy nomadism” and “thermal tourism” – but is it something you should consider for yourself?
Judging by the comments of some media commentators, the answer might well be “yes” – and our team at Simply Shuttles would be hard-pressed to disagree.
In a recent piece entitled “Is it possible to beat the winter heating bills by taking a long, off-peak sun holiday?”, the Irish Independent’s travel editor Pól Ó Conghaile quoted an Irish travel agency as saying: “We have had many clients booking winter holidays because it’ll be cheaper to be on holidays in Spain in a four-star hotel than heating their homes in Ireland.”
Although Ó Conghaile observed that arranging a winter holiday as a means of avoiding high energy bills wasn’t a strategy that everyone could use due to factors like school and in-person work, he singled out Andalucia as a possibility for those who were able to take advantage, declaring that the southern Spanish region “will definitely be warmer (and cheaper) than Ireland in the months ahead.”
Becoming an “energy nomad” seems to be an attractive prospect for Britons, too
Over in the UK, meanwhile, the Express has also recently published an article on what it has called an “exodus” among Britons “to EU countries to save bills”.
While new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss has taken steps to freeze energy bills in the country since she entered Number 10 in September, they remain at a level that – in the words of the newspaper – “threatens to plunge millions into fuel poverty.”
The publication also quoted the president of the Spanish federation of tourist departments, Miguel Ángel Sotillos, as saying that he was enthusiastic about the possibility of Britons flocking to the country over the coming months.
He commented: “From what we’re seeing, people are realising that it’s cheaper to come here than to put the heating on at home. What we’re saying is that it might be less costly to turn off the heat back home and come here. It’s as simple as that.”
So, there you have it – it seems that “energy nomadism”, or whatever one wishes to call it, is becoming more and more of a ‘thing’. And if you’re thinking of spending time in Spain for similar reasons this autumn and winter – whether you would like to sample the best beaches, restaurants, or golf courses – our team at Simply Shuttles can help make it so much easier.
It couldn’t be simpler to find out more about our Costa del Sol golf transfers, restaurant transfers, and other private hire services; simply give us a call now, on +34 951 279 117, or email info@simply-shuttles.com, for a discussion of how we can help set up your ideal winter trip to Andalucia.
