TUI cancels trips to winter spot causing travel ‘nightmare’ | Travel News | Travel

Families have been left devastated and “feeling sick” after their dream trips to Lapland were cancelled at the last minute due to a lack of snow.

Finnish Lapland’s Kuusamo has been left with hardly any snow due to heavy rainfall wiping out the powder, leaving holidaymakers set for a festive disappointment.

According to Ski Resort Info, less than a third of the ski slopes up the mountain are open, while J2Ski predicts no more snowfall until December 8 – and only 2cm at that point.

TUI scrapped plans for their enchanting Lapland experience yesterday and today, Travel Gossip reported.

Dozens of people have taken to social media to express disappointment at the last minute cancellations, but the true number of those affected is not yet clear.

One woman wrote: “I feel so sick I could throw up. I get that no one can rely on the weather, but you kinda expect it when you go to a place that is listed as ‘the most magical snowy destination’.” Another added: “It’s just an absolute nightmare!

“We are due to fly out Sunday and I have rang TUI today and we will be told 72 hours before just glad I haven’t told the kids.”

Another one said: “We are here now. No snow at all other than on the ski slopes and that is iced over.”

According to reports from Travel Gossip, TUI has issued an upsetting alert to its customers, stating: “We’ve been closely monitoring the weather forecast in Kuusamo.

“Unfortunately, there has been heavy rainfall today and what snow there was, has washed away. This means that regretfully it won’t be possible to operate the magical Lapland experience we had planned for you including tasters and pre-booked excursions.

“We understand how devastating this news will be and we are really sorry to have reached this outcome. We understand that Lapland is a once in a lifetime trip, and with this in mind we’d like to offer you some options.”

The travel operator has given travellers confronted with this cancellation a host of alternatives: they can postpone their winter wonderland holiday to another date, even next year, with no additional charges; select another getaway and enjoy a 10 percent discount or get refunded if it’s cheaper; or simply opt for a full refund.

Meanwhile, TUI has confirmed that other regions providing Lapland packages are still welcoming visitors, with holidays carrying on as planned thanks to the use of artificial snow. Conditions in Rovaniemi have been excellent, and Santa’s Village is ready to welcome visitors with open arms.

The unusual lack of snow in Lapland this December is almost certainly due to human-accelerated global warming. Despite this, the number of people jetting off to the snowy region for a festive experience continues to rise. In 2023, Finnish Lapland’s airports saw a record-breaking 1.5 million passengers, marking a 20 percent increase from 2022, according to Finavia.

Air travel, one of the most polluting forms of transport, is often the most environmentally damaging activity an average person undertakes.

A return economy flight from Manchester to Lapland emits approximately 800kg of CO2e, half a year’s carbon dioxide emissions budget for one person based on the Paris Agreement’s aim to keep global temperature increases “well below” 2°C, says Curb6.

A TUI spokesperson expressed regret over the situation: “We are saddened that we had to cancel a small number of customer holidays to Kuusamo in Lapland. Unfortunately, a lack of snow and heavy rainfall in this specific resort meant that guests would not have the magical Lapland experience that they deserve.

“We have been in touch with all affected customers directly to ensure we have a suitable solution for them. We thank all of our customers for their patience and understanding at this time, and we hope they have a wonderful trip to Lapland in the future.”