Europe is sizzling right now – and not in a ‘hot girl summer’ way. Wildfire destruction across Europe is up 87 per cent on average for this time of year as unprecedented heat shatters records in France, Italy, Spain and Croatia. Has Europe reached its boiling point? And what can advisors do to promote shoulder seasons and ‘coolcations’?
Between overtourism, unprecedented heatwaves and wildfires, temperatures are definitely rising in Europe in 2025, impacting locals and travellers alike.
As the UK’s Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment Policy & Communications Director Bob Ward told The Guardian: “This summer, like every summer now, has been exceptional in terms of extreme heat around the world.”
It’s certainly undeniable in Europe, where Croatia hit records of almost 40°C, southwest France reported temperatures 12°C above average and Hungary also broke its daily max temp record as wildfires have burned more than 400,000ha in Europe this year.
Even Nordic countries above the Arctic Circle and Canada were not immune to heatwaves this summer.
As Karryon’s Feature Editor Gaya Avery writes: “The impacts of climate change are happening now and affecting travel businesses. Climate is your biggest competitor.”
“Travel relies on stable weather patterns, access to nature and the health of local communities. Climate change directly impacts all three,” Avery adds.
How can advisors stay ahead of the impacts of climate change?
Products that rely on seasonality are under threat, such as cherry blossom season in Japan, leaf-peeping in New England or even longer ski seasons due to climate change.
Steering your clients towards shoulder and off-peak seasons will not only avoid overtourism and the impact of heatwaves and wildfires, but will also introduce other benefits, such as lower costs, more flexibility and better access to attractions.
Many tourism bodies have long promoted regional tourism and off-peak travel as an alternative to overtourism, such as Destination Canada’s Radical Ambassadors and Tourism Tasmania’s Off Season annual campaign.
Travellers can visit lesser-known destinations in off-peak seasons, contributing to local communities and businesses and distributing tourism dollars more equitably while enjoying fewer crowds and a more authentic experience.
Tour operators also highlight options to take the road less travelled this year, such as Intrepid Travel’s ‘Not Hot List’ of lesser-known destinations after finding 71 per cent of Aussies are concerned about overtourism. In Europe, Intrepid tips Greenland and Oslo.
G Adventures also listed its predictions of destinations to watch or explore in different ways in 2025, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece and Portugal in Europe.
Explore Worldwide’s Global Travel Trends Report highlights ‘coolcations’ (aka travel to colder destinations such as Scandinavia, Iceland and the Baltics) as Google Trends searches for “cooler holidays” surged 300 per cent in 2024.
Norwegian Cruise Line also suggests season-swapping and coolcations for cruisers to tap into 2025’s biggest travel trends.
Find out more about how to talk to clients, advise them about travel alternatives and tap into dedicated resources from suppliers here.
