4 September 2025

With more UK citizens holidaying abroad, the national water safety charity Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has partnered with ABTA, a trade association for UK travel agents, tour operators, and the wider travel industry, to create an essential Holiday Water Safety Toolkit for ABTA members. 

An average of 82 UK citizens drown each year while abroad*. Water safety is essential for holidaymakers, particularly when travelling with young children. By sharing useful tips and information via our partnerships, RLSS UK can collectively work towards keeping everyone safe in, on, and around water and preventing accidental drownings. 

The new toolkit is designed to encourage water safety as a vital part of a stress-free, enjoyable holiday. There will always be potential risks and hazards when enjoying the water, but recognising and identifying them will keep your family aware, safe, and able to travel confidently.  

From safety checklists to including tips for families and advice for swimming in open water and swimming pool safety, the toolkit will act as a reminder for families navigating unfamiliar environments, such as beaches, which can pose risks without the right knowledge. A key part of the water safety advice included in the Holiday Water Safety Toolkit is the National Water Safety Forum’s ‘Find Your Float’ campaign and The Water Safety Code when holidaying abroad. It is essential to take the time and familiarise yourself with the steps of the Water Safety Code: 

• Stop and Think 

• Stay Together 

• Call 999 in the UK or 112 if abroad 

• Float   

Jo Talbot, Director at RLSS UK, said: “The number of children who have lost their lives to drowning in England has tragically doubled in the past five years**." 

“It is crucial that people take the time to equip themselves with the right water safety knowledge and tools, starting important conversations with their little ones around water safety ahead of travelling to foreign destinations. We have teamed up with ABTA to create these informative and educational resources to help people stay safe near the water." 

“The toolkit offers vital water safety knowledge and simple and practical tips to holidaymakers to ensure they enjoy water safely abroad. It is available online for ABTA member travel agents, to spread the word to their customers – as it could make all the difference."

The Holiday Water Safety Toolkit is available online via ABTA's member zone.  

Download the graphics

You can also learn more about our summer water safety advice by visiting ur website and using our FREE resources and tools to help keep your family safe this summer at: www.rlss.org.uk/safety-on-holiday.

Stay safe in the water on holiday. 

Learn more about water safety

*Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) 01/01/2022 – 15/10/2023
**National Child Mortality Database (NCMD), England.