To escape these soaring temperatures, travel agents report that tourists are turning to cooler havens to take their summer breaks, with Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland and Scotland among those destinations said to be proving popular. Indeed, London-based luxury operator Kensington Tours told the Wall Street Journal that its summer 2024 bookings for Norway were up 37% compared to the previous year, with Sweden up 70% and Finland 126%.
Laura Greenman, managing director of London-based Magnetic North Travel, which specializes in holidays to cooler destination including Nordic countries, Canada, and Scandinavia, told VML Intelligence that enquiries to the company for family travel for this summer have doubled compared to the previous year, while enquiries from couples saw a 30% rise. “Nearly all of these clients state the reason for selecting Scandinavia as [a destination is that it’s] cooler than other European countries in summer,” said Greenman, adding that “we've seen a 50% increase in bookings to sustainable cooler destinations like Copenhagen and Gothenburg.” Gothenburg, Greenman points out, has been ranked as the world’s most sustainable large city destination by the Global Destination Sustainability Index.
And part of the appeal of cooler summer destinations, Greenman says, is that the lower temperatures allow for a more active break. “[Travelers can be] immersed in nature without feeling vulnerable to sunstroke or heat-induced exhaustion,” Greenman notes. “Activities such as hiking, cycling, kayaking, and exploring are more comfortable in cooler climates, prompting families and adventurers to look north for their summer trips.”
