When the weather can make or break the experience

Weather guarantees encourage travelers to book trips without worrying about rain, heat, or the Northern Lights not showing up

To persuade vacationers who are hesitant to book a trip because of fear of bad weather, travel companies are beefing up their offerings. If rain ruins your golf game, you get a refund. If the northern lights don't show up on your cruise, you can sign up for another trip for free. If there's no snow on the slopes, you can exchange your lift ticket for another day.

Key takeaways

• As climate change causes more extreme weather events, the travel industry is increasingly offering solutions to mitigate the impact of rainy spells, scorching afternoons, or the disappointing absence of natural phenomena;
• These promises are not universal and often come with fine print or additional costs. Insurance policies can add about 5 to 10 percent to the cost of travel;
• Weather guarantees differ from traditional travel insurance policies, which typically cover costs if a trip has to be canceled or shortened due to emergencies such as illness, injury or natural disasters.

Get the full story at The Washington Post