Intense heat prompts increased utilization of travel aid among Belgian holidaymakers
Europ Assistance Reports Significant Increase in Summer Interventions
Travel assistance organisation Europ Assistance has reported a notable surge in interventions during the summer of 2025, marking a more substantial increase compared to the previous year. This rise in demand was observed across various services, including medical and road assistance.
The data, collected from 27th June to 27th August 2025, reveals that Europe accounted for a considerable portion of Europ Assistance's cases. Greece, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Morocco collectively accounted for 43% of medical files in Europe, with France leading the way, followed by France (19%), Italy (7%), Spain (12%), Turkey (4%), and Greece (4%).
Younger tourists, particularly those aged 20 or younger, predominantly experienced stomach and intestinal problems. On the other hand, older tourists (aged 50 or older) were more prone to heart and respiratory problems, neurological issues, infections, and dermatological cases.
The rise in interventions was also attributed to global heatwaves and wildfires, which contributed to an increase in road assistance requests. In fact, Europ Assistance dealt with a majority of cases throughout Europe, with France being the country where most road interventions were carried out. VAB, a specialist in roadside assistance, primarily responded to problems with tyres and wheels, while a 34% increase in issues with electric vehicles was also noted.
In Belgium, Europ Assistance witnessed a 25% rise in foreign technical files and a 23% increase in medical files during the summer months. Over 10,000 requests were sent through Europ Assistance's assistance app, and the organisation received approximately 2,750 calls per day during the summer months.
The data also indicates that the US accounted for 4% of Europ Assistance's cases globally, while Indonesia and Thailand were also significant contributors, accounting for 4% each. Thailand was the most popular destination globally, accounting for 5% of Europ Assistance's cases.
Interestingly, the search results do not provide information about the name of the tourist group that most frequently needed help from Europ Assistance in summer 2025. However, it was noted that 70% of road interventions were caused by engine failure, battery, and starting problems.
The peak in demand was observed around 21st July and changeover weekends in July and August, suggesting that these periods were particularly busy for Europ Assistance. Despite the challenges, the organisation continues to provide essential services to travellers, ensuring peace of mind for millions of people during their summer travels.
