Demand for Caribbean and western Mediterranean vacation destinations is ratcheting up as European travellers prioritize safe haven sun spots.

Thanks to supply and demand, that means Canadian travellers already stunned by soaring vacation prices, as reported last month, could see those rates continue to rise this spring – not just for the Caribbean but European favourites too.

After all, it’s not just Canadians who love the Caribbean and the western Med. It’s Europeans, and Americans, and the rest of the world too – and there are only so many hotel rooms to go around. Rising airfares and fuel surcharges due to the war, not just with international carriers but Canadian airlines too, will nudge vacation costs even higher.

Many European travellers accustomed to getaways in Cyprus, Turkey and Greece are finding the war in the Middle East too close to comfort, as the conflict wages on with no end in sight.

Thatʻs pushing European sun vacation demand away from the eastern Med, and into the western Med and the Caribbean.

While Europeans have always flocked to the Caribbean, demand has surged amid geopolitical tensions.

According to The Guardian, European travel giant TUI is reporting a sharp uptick in bookings for Spain in the western Med, as well as Portugal, while UK-based travel retail chain Hays Travel says Italy, Malta and Croatia are seeing strong demand, and Kuoni says Caribbean bookings have skyrocketed.