School summer holidays are underway, but wildfires raging across popular European hotspots are forcing holidaymakers to reconsider their plans. Travel experts suggest heading north instead.
Norway leads 'coolcation' trend
Reach PLC consulted several travel industry insiders, and many pointed to Norway and Scandinavia as ideal alternatives. Emily Grossman of TrustedHousesitters said: 'For holiday travellers still weighing up their plans, it's worth considering destinations less exposed to extreme heat and drought.'
Grossman added: 'We're already seeing cooler summer climate choices reflected in TrustedHousesitters' booking data. House-sitting stays in Norway up nearly 30% year-on-year, and Denmark is up over 24%'
Experts back cooler climates
Jacqueline Mondelli of Squaremouth noted: 'Similar to last summer, we're seeing coolcations draw travellers away from the traditional European hotspots like Italy, France, and Spain, in lieu of cooler climates and outdoor adventures.'
Alicia Hempstead of MoneySupermarket.com also suggested Scandinavia. She said: 'As wildfires are unpredictable and can arise at any moment, especially during periods of extreme heat, it's difficult to say where people should choose instead.' She added: 'However, the safest approach would be to choose destinations that are less prone to extreme heat, for example, countries in Scandinavia such as Denmark or Sweden.'
Bookings surge
Tim Gunstone of HotelPlanner said: 'Tourists are choosing cooler European destinations and to travel to the hottest destinations in October rather than August.' He reported that Scandinavia has seen August bookings grow by 120%.
Bryce Collins of INTRO Travel advised: 'If you're set on Europe, head north. The nordics rarely see the extremes, and anywhere on a coast or a big lake stays cooler, there's something calming about having all that water around.'
Wildfire crisis
France's president Emmanuel Macron called the situation the nation's worst wildfire crisis since World War Two, with firefighters battling around the clock. Fires are also spreading in Spain, northern and central Portugal, Sicily and parts of southern Italy.
Norway is easily reachable from the UK via direct flights from multiple airports, as are Denmark and Sweden.
