Some travelers are not waiting to see if this year’s heat wave in southern Europe an anomaly or a result of climate change is. Tom Marchant, co-founder of Black Tomato, a luxury travel operator, reported a shift in interest from travelers seeking to avoid extreme summer heat.
“We’re seeing strong interest in the ‘Scandi summer’,” Marchant said, noting increased sales for destinations like Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland.
Data from the European Travel Commission showed a 10% drop in interest for Mediterranean travel from June to November, while summer bookings to Scandinavia rose by 37%, according to Black Tomato.
Interest in Spain’s northern coast grows as travelers avoid the Mediterranean heat this summer.The trend extends to summer home rentals. Expedia Group noted a 35% rise in German travelers’ interest in southern Norway, alongside increased searches for vacation homes in Sweden’s Skane and Blekinge counties. Searches for homes in Edinburgh, Riga, and Tallinn also surged by 20-25%.
Spain remains the top travel destination in a European Travel Commission poll, but interest is shifting. Vacation home searches along Spain’s northern coast, in areas like Costa Verde and the Basque Country, are rising, while interest in the popular Costa Blanca and Costa Brava remains steady.
Wildfires in Greece last month forced mass evacuations, pushing travelers to consider alternatives. Marchant highlighted the Lofoten Islands in Norway as a preferred substitute to the Greek and Croatian islands, especially for families avoiding Mediterranean heat. Other popular alternatives include Canada, U.S. National Parks, and European spots like Slovenia.
The risk of heat waves, wildfires, and flooding is driving more people to travel in the fall, with destinations like Puglia and Sicily in Italy gaining popularity during this shoulder season. Higher elevations, such as the Dolomites, Swiss and Austrian Alps, and Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, are also attracting travelers seeking cooler climates.
Despite the heat, most travelers are sticking to their plans. Cynthia Nerangis of LemonLime Travel and Peter Tomlinson of Omio reported low cancellation rates for southern European destinations, indicating resilience among summer travelers.