Tourists are being evacuated as a massive wildfire engulfs Greece’s Rhodes island on July 22, 2023.
Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
The scorching conditions in southern Europe are spurring a growing trend among travelers, as more tourists prioritize moderate temperatures or off-season trips to avoid the oppressive heat.
Currently, Europe is facing some of the highest temperatures of the summer, with another heat wave expected to push temperatures close to record-breaking levels in the coming days.
Recent intense and prolonged heat waves have led to temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) in certain parts of Greece, eastern Spain, and Sardinia and Sicily in southern Italy.
Data from the European Travel Commission (ETC), a Brussels-based nonprofit, revealed earlier this month that the number of travelers planning trips between June and November this year decreased by 4% compared to 2022, but remained high at 69%.
Spain emerged as the most popular destination, with 8% of respondents planning a domestic vacation in the coming months, closely followed by France (7%), Italy (7%), Greece (5%), and Croatia (5%).
However, the popularity of Mediterranean vacation spots dropped by 10% compared to last year, when Europe faced its hottest summer on record.
Meanwhile, the ETC reported a surge in the popularity of vacation spots like the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Ireland, and Denmark, attributing the trend to travelers seeking less crowded destinations and cooler climates.
The trade body also noted that many individuals planning trips in the coming months were looking for more affordable experiences or considering off-season travel to stretch their budgets.
Almost a quarter of the ETC survey respondents expressed concerns about rising trip costs, while 8% cited potential extreme weather conditions.
‘Every single holiday flight makes global heating worse’
In Greece, emergency workers have been grappling with devastating wildfires over the past week, affecting one of the most popular Mediterranean vacation spots.
Large blazes on the Greek island of Rhodes led to the unprecedented evacuation of approximately 19,000 people on Sunday, while wildfires also broke out on the islands of Evia and Corfu.
This situation has left many holidaymakers in limbo, with reports from the BBC indicating that those forced to leave their hotels have been sleeping at the airport, sports halls, conference centers, and even on the street.
Tourists wait in the airport’s departure hall as evacuations are underway due to wildfires on the Greek island of Rhodes on July 23, 2023.
Will Vassilopoulos | Afp | Getty Images
According to Bill McGuire, a professor emeritus of geophysical and climate hazards at University College London, this is a situation one can increasingly expect when vacationing in southern Europe during the summer months. He also emphasizes that every holiday flight contributes to worsening global heating.
Scientists assert that the extreme weather patterns observed worldwide underscore the urgent need to rapidly and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The World Meteorological Organization, part of the United Nations, states that these events highlight why efforts to help societies adapt to the “new normal” must be intensified.
‘A hard sell’
The decline in popularity of Mediterranean countries as vacation hotspots coincides with a growing trend of holidaymakers seeking destinations with cooler temperatures.
For instance, Estonia offers average summer temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius, with rare readings exceeding 30 degrees Celsius.
In Estonia, average summer temperatures in the Baltic country tend to hover around 20 degrees Celsius, with the mercury rarely exceeding 30 degrees Celsius.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
However, there are no plans to market Estonia’s colder climate as a tourist attraction. Rainer Aavik, head of Enterprise Estonia’s tourism department, stated in an interview with public broadcaster ERR that while they promote the Nordic experience and the abundance of nature and fresh air, positioning Estonia in opposition to warmer countries would not benefit the country in the long run.
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