Brits are increasingly choosing cooler holiday destinations as summer heatwaves make traditional sunny spots less appealing. This new 'coolcation' trend is driving a surge in bookings for places like Scotland and Scandinavia.
Rising Searches for Cooler Destinations
A survey by InsureandGo in May found that three in four UK holidaymakers believe traditional destinations such as France, Spain, Greece, and Cyprus will be too hot to visit by 2030. Data from Trip.com showed a 237% increase in searches for cooler destinations this summer.
Awaze, which owns Hoseasons and cottages.com, reported that online searches for 'coolcations' are up 420% and 'escape the heat' up 300% over the past three months.
Scotland and Scandinavia in Demand
Matthew Price, Awaze's chief executive, said the hot temperatures were 'creating a new category of holidays'. He added that the business is 'increasingly seeing holidaymakers look further afield to destinations known for their cooler climate, such as Scotland, Yorkshire and the northwest of England'.
Travel Counsellors, a Manchester-based firm, said trips to northern Europe, particularly Norway, were up about 25% on last year. Temperatures in Bergen are forecast to reach 20C this week.
Industry Response and Other Options
Jim Eastwood, UK chief executive of Travel Counsellors, said 'The current heatwave has certainly prompted people to think more carefully about the time of year they travel. Shoulder-season holidays have been growing in popularity for some time, offering a good balance of comfortable temperatures, value and availability.'
Hotel firm Hyatt said bookings for Sweden had more than doubled over the past three years. Trailfinders lists Iceland and the Swiss Alps as other coolcation destinations, while South Africa offers winter temperatures averaging 17°C to 20°C.
