Extreme temperatures are causing travelers to hunt cooler destinations. And there’s a term for the trend: “coolcations.”
Heat waves — whose frequency, duration and intensity are increasing, in line with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — are disrupting people's vacation goals, especially through the hot summer months.
“When we think of vacations, beaches and tropical getaways often come to mind,” an Expedia spokesperson told CNBC Travel. “But coolcations are all about choosing destinations where temperatures are more moderate and where you pack a light sweater instead of a sun hat.”
According to Expedia, flight searches to Lapland, Finland increased 705% from January to June 2024. The online travel agency said flight searches also come to Canada, particularly to Banff (65%) and Lake Louise (55%), its data showed.
Home rental website Vrbo reported that cooler places were among the many 40 most booked destinations this summer, including Breckenridge, Colorado; White Mountains, New Hampshire; and Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania.
California resident Stephanie Greitzer said she planned a family trip to Whistler this summer.
“We live in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, where we experience extreme heat for most of the summer, reaching highs well over 100 degrees,” she said. “We want to be comfortable when we travel, to experience everything a city has to offer and to take a break from the extreme heat at home.”
Southern Europe is sizzling
European cities like Rome and Madrid top the list of hottest summer destinations. But the rising temperatures in southern Europe are hitting the summer travel season hard.
This summer, Italian authorities issued heat warnings for 12 cities as temperatures reached triple digits in some areas.
“Throughout the summer, from June to August, temperatures in southern Italy averaged 3 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit above historical averages,” Jason Nicholls, senior international forecaster for weather website AccuWeather, wrote in an email to CNBC. “From July to August there were several heat waves across Italy and the Balkans.”
As a result, Northern Europe is experiencing a boom in tourism.
“Northern Europe as a whole has really experienced a resurgence in the last two years,” says Delphine Combes, product manager at travel agency Scott Dunn. “Norway has become one of the five most popular travel destinations in Europe for us, rising eight places compared to 2022.”
She said Scott Dunn is adding more summer travel options to Finland, Sweden and Switzerland to satisfy increased demand.
“These are destinations where, until recently, we only offered winter and holiday products,” Combes said.
According to Visit Finland, foreign visitors made greater than 4.8 million trips to the Nordic country within the last 12 months. The variety of registered overnight stays abroad increased by 9% from January to June 2024 in comparison with the previous 12 months, with most visitors coming from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United States and the Netherlands, it said.
Book early
Combes had a suggestion for American travelers on the lookout for a cooler vacation.
“Be open to traveling to places where Americans are not the main tourists,” she said. “Unlike the Mediterranean, many coolcation spots are not crowded with Americans. This creates an interesting atmosphere that perhaps allows for a more cultural experience.”
Combes also recommends booking early. “Many cooler, less visited destinations have fewer quality hotels. Growing demand is beginning to outstrip hotel inventory, so prices will either be exorbitantly high or there will be no availability if you wait until the last minute.”
Sara Steele-Rogers and her husband, who currently live to tell the tale the Caribbean island of Anguilla, booked a visit to Estonia in September to beat the warmth.
“It's always hot in the Caribbean, so cooler weather destinations are more attractive than ever to experience fall,” says Steele-Rogers. “Little things like being able to walk distances without sweating through my clothes are things you don’t miss until they’re gone.”
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