Will Heatwaves in Europe Push Holidaymakers to 'Coolcations'?
Searches for Copenhagen rooms jumped 246% and Oslo bookings rose 154% as travelers seek cooler summer destinations, Hotels.com and Fora said.
- European holidaymakers are increasingly snubbing Mediterranean destinations for cooler northern climes, a trend dubbed 'coolcations' that has surged in 2026. Searches for Copenhagen rooms on Hotels.com jumped 246 percent since May's first heatwave.
- New York-based Fora Travel advisor Jonna Robertson observed this shift globally, noting Oslo booking growth of 154 percent year-over-year. Searches for Dublin in Ireland have similarly risen by 151 percent as travellers look beyond traditional summer hotspots.
- Temperatures in Europe regularly climb toward 40 Celsius in The South, driving interest in cooler regions. Terje Viblom Pedersen, a guide in Stockholm, said tourists are 'amazed' by the sea breezes and cooler conditions found in Sweden.
- Swedish professor Stefan Gossling said temperature is only 'one aspect' of vacation planning, countering the 'coolcation' narrative. Exceltur reported spending by tourists in Spain rose more than eight percent in the second quarter of 2026.
- Travellers' choices depend on factors including pricing, security, and air connections beyond temperature alone. It remains unclear whether this 'coolcation' trend represents a durable market shift or a temporary response to recent extreme heatwaves across Europe.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Will heatwaves push European holidaymakers to 'coolcations'?
With temperatures in the European summer regularly climbing up towards 40 degrees Celsius (100F), cool has become cool. This year, visitors "have been telling me that they have escaped the heat in southern parts of Europe," said Terje Viblom Pedersen, a guide who offers tours in southeastern Sweden. "They are just amazed" by the daytime high temperatures under 30C and sea breezes, as well as the lack of crowds compared to tourist hotspots in sou…
Will heatwaves in Europe push holidaymakers to 'coolcations'?
European holidaymakers worn down by recurrent heatwaves are currently snubbing Mediterranean destinations for northern climes in hopes of cooler temperatures, but it remains to be seen whether it is just a fad or a durable shift in the tourism market. Furthermore, Mediterranean countries have very extensive tourism infrastructures.
Search 25°C in the open sun, air currents welcome: in the face of the high heats, holidaymakers turn more to the well-known cooler destinations. But is this trend sufficient to change the geography of world tourism in a sustainable way?
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