Only time will tell, but the trend is definitely picking up steam. Americans, particularly baby boomers and first-time travelers, are skipping popular summer destinations throughout southern Europe. As climate change exacerbates heat waves and unpredictable weather patterns, the allure of Mediterranean destinations like Italy and Greece during peak summer months is diminishing. Instead, travelers are visiting cooler locations like northern Europe, an utterly new travel pattern.
According to Intrepid Travel’s internal data, there’s an incredible 75% boom in cruise reservations to Italy. From April to June and September through October, reservations are up 16 percent! At the same time, international travel to Greece during those same months has boomed by 37%! Bookings to southern Europe for July and August have decreased by a staggering 15%. This trend is a clear sign that Americans are rethinking how they vacation. Alleviated by southern Europe’s intense heat during midsummer’s peak, travelers are antsy to get away.
The emergence of coolcations is largely driven by two demographics: baby boomers in their 50s and 60s and first-time travelers aged 18 to 35. Baby boomers, enjoying newfound freedom after their children have left home and mortgages have been paid off, are taking advantage of lower travel costs to explore less crowded, cooler destinations. Meanwhile, younger travelers are placing a premium on experiences, not possessions, and they’re not as worried about owning a home.
“The growth is very much coming from baby boomers in their 50s and 60s. So, kids have left home, mortgage is paid off, more free time to go out and see the world and perhaps less affected by cost-of-living pressures.” – James Thornton
“The second group is actually at the opposite end of the scale, which is first-time travelers. So, for these people, they are young in their career, often driven by experiences over possessions and the reality of home ownership … is less relevant or maybe less achievable.” – James Thornton
In an age when travelers want to be constantly entertained, northern European nations like Sweden and Estonia are welcoming the influx of coolcations. Estonia, specifically, welcomes tourists who look for active adventures like hiking and nature exploration. Because of climate change, many Mediterranean travelers this summer are moving to greener pastures. They now prefer temperate climates, in the hottest months of the year.
“Rather than shun hotspots in the Med completely, for example, they are traveling in spring and autumn, whereas in July and August, they opt for places such as Norway and Finland that are more temperate.” – Jenny Southan
Politicians and experts alike have warned that the classic northern European summer holiday in southern Europe is drawing to a close. These recent developments are fuelling this trend towards longer vacations. Consumers are increasingly seeking chillier locales to avoid sweltering hot temperatures. This change is an indication of their wish to prevent the devastating wildfires that climate change has made more frequent and severe.
“The trend for ‘coolcations’ reflects a conscious decision by a growing portion of consumers to avoid the most intense summer heat and wildfires that are occurring in certain parts of the world on an annual basis.” – Jenny Southan
Travelers are becoming more cognizant of the effects that climate change is having on perennially popular destinations. James Thornton notes that many individuals flocked back to Mediterranean locales after pandemic restrictions eased but found overcrowding and escalating prices less appealing.
“It felt like everyone just had to go back to the Mediterranean, to Italy, to Greece, to Spain, because they hadn’t had the opportunity for a couple of years to be able to do that. What happened was, it was crowded, it was often expensive, and you were seeing various natural challenges happen — often as a result of climate change.” – James Thornton
The growing trend Too, it opens new doors for tourism-dependent economies. The move to coolcations could help destinations find a better equilibrium in their annual travel figures. Rather than relying just on peak summer months for revenue, communities can bring visitors in year-round.
“It will be a chance to reset and for economies to rebalance their year so that they aren’t working nonstop for four months (as they do in Ibiza and on many Greek Islands, for example). Instead, they will find ways to attract travelers throughout the year, providing a more sustainable source of income and putting less pressure on infrastructure,” – Jenny Southan
According to industry experts, this change isn’t going away in 2024 and beyond. Now, travelers are more often looking for those chill northern locales in July and August. They are looking for new options outside of the typical summer vacation hotspots.
“What we have seen in reverse is in 2024 and now into 2025, the demand for people wanting to travel in the peak of summer, in July and August, to what would traditionally be cooler northern European destinations.” – James Thornton