Hotter Summers Are Starting to Change European Travel Habits

Summer travel in Europe is starting to look a little different. After another season of heatwaves, wildfires and unusually high temperatures across parts of southern Europe, some travellers are changing both the timing and destination of their holidays.

The Mediterranean remains hugely popular, but July and August are no longer the obvious choice for everyone. Travel companies have reported growing interest in spring and early autumn trips, particularly among families and older travellers who want to avoid the hottest weeks of the year.

There is also more attention on cooler destinations.

Northern Europe, mountain regions and parts of central Europe have attracted travellers looking for milder weather. The trend has sometimes been described as “coolcation” travel, although for many tourists the decision is less about following a trend than simply avoiding days of 40-degree heat.

This year has provided plenty of reminders.

Spain, Italy, Greece and southern France all experienced periods of extreme heat during the summer. High temperatures affected outdoor activities, sightseeing schedules and, in some places, transport and tourism services.

Hotels and tourism boards are responding in practical ways. Some destinations are promoting May, June, September and October more heavily, while cities in hotter regions are adding shaded areas, water points and heat advice for visitors.

The change is not dramatic enough to suggest that tourists are abandoning southern Europe. Beaches, historic cities and Mediterranean resorts continue to draw large numbers of visitors.

But the calendar is becoming less fixed.

A traveller who once booked Rome or Athens automatically in August may now consider June or October instead. Someone looking for a summer break may choose the Alps, Scandinavia or the Baltic coast rather than the Mediterranean.

Price, flight availability and school holidays still play a major role in those choices. Weather, however, is becoming part of the calculation in a way it was not for many travellers a decade ago.

For the tourism industry, that could mean a longer season, with fewer visitors concentrated into the same few weeks of summer.