Rising numbers of visitors headed for destinations in northern Europe in the summer of 2026, seeking respite from the heat.
Author
- Mehri Khosravi
Energy and Carbon Senior Research Fellow, University of East London; United Nations University
For years, summer holidays in Europe have followed a familiar pattern: head south in search of sunshine. But climate change is beginning to turn that logic on its head.
As temperatures rise across southern Europe, traditionally popular destinations are facing increasingly difficult summer conditions , from extreme hot temperatures to wildfires and water shortages.
Rather than abandoning summer travel, some tourists are beginning to change the destinations they want to spend time in. The trend has even acquired a name: the "coolcation" . For an individual traveller, this can be a sensible response to rising temperatures. A cooler destination can make outdoor activities more comfortable and allow people to continue taking summer holidays while avoiding the most intense heat.
For northern European destinations, this could look like an opportunity . Northern Europe (defined as Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and the UK) recorded a 10% increase in visitor numbers between April and June 2026, compared with the same period in 2025, according to the European Travel Commission .
One travel agent reported seeing a rise in searches for cooler destinations rise by 74% compared with 2025. Meanwhile, a travel app, Polarsteps, launched a summer heat escape index , analysing the temperatures at 25 destinations, after it carried out a survey finding that 35% of British travellers had chosen a cooler summer destination in 2026.
But if enough people make the same decision, a destination that was attractive partly because it was cooler, quieter or less crowded can begin to experience the crowds associated with mass tourism , and potentially an environmental cost.
The individual traveller is adapting successfully to climate change by moving away from heat. But that adaptation can redistribute tourism pressure towards destinations that may have less capacity to absorb it.
Going to Scotland for its weather
Scotland provides a useful example.
National tourism agency VisitBritain reported that flight bookings for Scottish destinations made during the six weeks ending mid-July rose 15%, compared with the same period in 2025. At the same time bookings for London, which was experiencing an extremely hot summer, dropped.
Although Scotland also experienced hotter weather than usual at times, and did experience wildfires in the Cairngorms, it was far cooler than London and the south of England. The early indications are that Scotland has seen a growth in tourism in 2026.
Some popular Scottish destinations, such as Glencoe, opened additional infrastructure in 2026, including a new car park , to cope with expanding numbers of tourists.
What are the environmental implications?
Growing tourism can bring employment, spending and investment. However, increasing visitor numbers also creates pressure on housing, infrastructure, public services and natural environments.
Some Scottish communities already perceive tourism as putting considerable pressure on local areas. In 2025, 32% of Highland and 48% of Orkney residents felt tourism placed too much pressure on their area, compared with 8% across Scotland . Edinburgh has recently introduced a 5% tourist tax on the first five nights of any stay, which can be used to help fund local infrastructure and housing projects.
Norway is also seeing similar trends. The number of nights international guests booked into Norwegian hotels increased by 3.2% between May and July 2026, compared with the same period in 2025, rising from 3.28 million to 3.39 million . Norway has also introduced a new tax, allowing local councils experiencing tourism pressure to charge up to 3% on tourist accommodation .
In Rovaniemi, a city in Finnish Lapland, rising winter tourism has increased pressure on housing and local services .
As with other tourist centres, renting out accommodation to tourists has reduced housing availability for local people and contributed to rising rents .
Coolcations may represent more than a change in holiday preference. They may become part of a wider redistribution of climate-related tourism pressure.
Around 76% of Europeans say climate-related factors now influence their travel behaviour. Among those adapting their plans, 16% are looking for destinations with milder temperatures.
But there are environmental costs. Visitors who spend time in a wild and rural environment can lead to damage such as trampling, soil compaction and erosion. Increased human presence can also disturb wildlife and damage vegetation. This can be particularly pronounced in mountain and remote locations, where ecosystems are often fragile .
Coolcations may add a new climate-driven layer to pressures that already exist . The challenge for northern European destinations is to anticipate how climate change could reshape tourism demand before infrastructure, housing and natural environments become overwhelmed.
Mehri Khosravi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
