Preference for Cooler Countries Rises Amid Record Heatwave
Tourists Turn Attention to Czechia, Bulgaria, Ireland, and Others
As a heatwave hits Southern European countries, including Italy, which are considered popular vacation destinations, tourists are reportedly flocking to relatively cooler countries.
According to a report by CNN on the 21st (local time), the European Travel Commission (ETC), headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, conducted a survey this month on travel plans among about 6,000 Europeans. The results showed that the number of tourists planning to visit Mediterranean destinations this summer and fall decreased by 10% compared to the same period last year.
Europeans cited temperature as the top priority when choosing vacation spots. 7.6% of respondents identified the heatwave as the most important factor during their European travels.
This year, Italy, Spain, and Greece are experiencing unprecedented heatwaves. As of the 18th, the surface temperature in Rome, Italy, reached 45 degrees Celsius. In Nicosia, Cyprus, and Catania, Sicily, Italy, temperatures soared up to 50 degrees Celsius.
In response, the Italian government issued a red alert on the 18th for 23 cities, including major tourist destinations. The Italian Meteorological Society nicknamed this heatwave "Cerberus," borrowing the name of the monster from Dante’s epic poem "The Divine Comedy," specifically the Inferno section.
Some areas in Greece are also expected to reach 44 degrees Celsius this week. After a tourist collapsed from the heat in front of the ancient Acropolis, Greek authorities temporarily banned daytime tourism for safety reasons.
The ETC explained, “While traditional tourist countries such as Spain, Italy, France, Croatia, and Greece remain popular, there is an increased preference for relatively cooler countries like the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Ireland, and Denmark.”
Travel analytics firm ForwardKeys also reported, “At the beginning of this month, online searches for Southern European flights from the UK accounted for 58% of all flight searches, a 4 percentage point decrease compared to last month.” Meanwhile, searches for Northern European destinations increased by 3 percentage points to 10%.
A ForwardKeys representative said, “As interest in the heatwave grows, travelers seem to be seeking destinations with milder temperatures this summer,” adding, “Preferences are shifting toward cooler, northern destinations.”
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