The £20 travel essential that could save a life

With a majority of Brits planning some kind of winter travel this year and more of us considering self-catering accommodation for our holidays, the Safer Tourism Foundation is warning travellers about the risks associated with carbon monoxide poisoning and urging travellers to pack a carbon monoxide alarm to take with them on their trips.

According to data from one online travel operators, only 60% of self-catering properties on their platform list a carbon monoxide alarm amongst their amenities (May 2023). While some holiday rental companies like VRBO are already tremendously proactive in encouraging owners to have carbon monoxide and smoke detectors installed in their properties for the safety of guests, as many as 2 in 5 self-catering properties do not have CO or smoke alarms. Some travellers may be surprised to learn that there are no internationally agreed standards for properties to have any sort of smoke or CO alarm, so what you get varies from property to property, and from country to country.

Safer Tourism is on a mission to wipe out the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning wherever, and whenever people travel. The independent charity was founded in the wake of the deaths of two children, Bobby and Christi Shepherd, who died of carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday in Corfu. Established ten years after their deaths, the charity aims to save lives and reduce preventable harm and injury to UK travellers.

Carbon monoxide is a gas with no odour, taste or colour. A carbon monoxide alarm is the only proven method to detect the presence of the poisonous gas and to allow time to take action and seek medical treatment to prevent serious illness or even death. This is an “accident” that is entirely preventable with a simple, portable piece of kit.

Now Safer Tourism Foundation has partnered with specialist retailer Safelincs to offer travel-friendly carbon monoxide alarms at a discounted price. The partnership also includes discounted carbon monoxide alarms for self-catering accommodation owners who want to keep their guests safe. All of Safelincs' carbon monoxide alarms are Kitemarked to British Standards and are CE and UKCA approved.

Kathy Atkinson, CEO of Safer Tourism Foundation said, "While rare, carbon monoxide poisoning is incredibly serious, and can be deadly. Our charity was borne out of the tragic deaths of two children from CO poisoning on a holiday, so we know better than most what a difference something as small as a CO alarm can make when it comes to keeping you and your loved ones safe when travelling. When £20 can make the difference between staying safe or a potential fatality, the risk simply isn't worth it."

Holidaymakers and self-catering property owners can find out more about carbon monoxide alarms by visiting our Carbon Monoxide Awareness campaign page, where they can also access a 10% discount on an alarm.