Climate crisis drives travellers to Northern Europe

Since the advent of mass package tours in the 1960s, the summer holiday of sun and sea in the Mediterranean had become an integral part of European culture. Now, however, the warmer climate is prompting more and more tourists to avoid the classic summer destinations, oppressed by heat and crowds, and turn to northern destinations, more suited to outdoor activities amidst the wonders of nature: in English they call the phenomenon 'coolcation', with a cross betweencool (cool) and vacation (holiday).

Also part of the phenomenon is the shift of holidays to the intermediate seasons, spring and autumn. The latest survey of 6,000 holidaymakers conducted on behalf of the European Travel Commission, which represents 36 national tourism organisations, found that 9% changed their holiday month. This partly reflects the search for cheaper offers in less crowded locations, but a contributing factor is the rise in temperatures and phenomena such as forest fires. Three quarters of the respondents adopted at least one change in their travel habits due to the climate crisis. The three main changes were choosing milder destinations, excluding destinations with extreme temperatures and monitoring weather forecasts before finalising their plans. Fifty-five per cent of European holidaymakers said they were avoiding the main tourist destinations in favour of less popular or off the beaten track locations, and in fact, the Nordic countries saw a sharp increase in summer demand.

Overall, in the first three quarters of the year, the countries that recorded the largest increase in arrivals over 2024 were Norway (+14%), Finland (14%) and Poland (+13%), but Lithuania, Latvia and Iceland also took the top spots, while Italy stopped at +0.3%. The phenomenon also involves US visitors, who are still attracted to Europe in large numbers, despite the dollar not being as strong this year. Etc data for the third quarter showed a 35% year-on-year increase in US overnight stays in Norway and 24% in Denmark, compared to +18% in Croatia and +16% in Greece.

"Cooler destinations such as Scandinavia, Iceland, Canada and Alaska not only offer spectacular scenery and more opportunities for outdoor activities than warmer regions, but also promote sustainable tourism," explains Marco Peci, director of Quality Group. The northern destinations are very focused on sustainability, with well-developed networks of electric public transport, cycle paths, hydrogen-powered ferries and eco-certified accommodation. "Tourists are increasingly opting for travel in line with their values and Nordic destinations offer space, serenity and sustainability," adds Peci. Unique experiences such as glacier diving, fjord hiking and midnight sun adventures make these destinations even more attractive. "The search for wellness through physical activity in nature is a well-established phenomenon, which started even before the pandemic: in the last 10 years, the number of people travelling to the Nordic countries has tripled" .

Consequently, investments in these countries are also growing. "There is strong investment in tourist facilities, but in the Nordic countries they do not aim at mass tourism and must be environmentally friendly. We too have built a small settlement of ten individual lodges in a fantastic natural setting in Posio, Finland, with a very low environmental impact, because they are certified structures that can be easily dismantled and are fully glazed on one side, so you can admire the stars and the northern lights," Peci emphasises.