The Rise of "Coolcations"

It was the morning my family’s much awaited holiday began. Packed and ready, we were brimming with excitement for some well-deserved rest and relaxation after a long year. Yet, this elation was underscored by a devastating headline. From May to June, nearly three thousand people across England and Wales were believed to have been killed by the heatwaves.

As climate scientist Peter Thorne aptly described, the UK has undergone ‘mind bogglingly crazy’ temperatures since May. Wildfires have battered parts of England, France and Spain, with Europe named as ‘the fastest-warming continent’ by the World Meteorological Organization. Many scientists warn that these temperatures will become normal if we fail to tackle global warming immediately. With the climate crisis on our doorstep, precious time with family and friends on holiday, are eclipsed by a potentially bleak future. For many, the travel bug is tainted with the guilt of worsening climate change for a restful break.

While blogs about sustainable travel hint at a new era of climate conscious travelling, the European Travel Commission (ETC) discovered in 2025 that travellers are adapting their travel plans according to the climate. In fact, 81% of Europeans are doing so.

As part of the increasingly popular coolcations, travellers are going off the "mainstream" track to see northern and eastern Europe, thus avoiding scorching temperatures in tourist hotspots, like France and Italy. According to the ETC, Finland, Norway, Poland and Iceland have experienced a surge in tourism. Although travelling to the Nordics can be just as expensive as the Mediterranean, “coolcations” centre around notoriously expensive countries: Norway, Switzerland and Denmark, whose capital cities are listed as the most expensive European cities (the City Cost Barometer).

The trending “coolcations” appears designed for the wealthier tourists. Influencers document their holidays in Stockholm and Copenhagen, advertising the cities’ minimalist aesthetic. Extravagant hotels commodify Norway’s remoteness, while Iceland’s vast landscapes are tamed by luxury spas. Elite influencers even flock to Antarctica on cruise ships to embrace icier temperatures. While visiting Scandinavia is possible on a smaller budget, its higher prices makes “coolcations” more accessible to the affluent.

Heat remains desirable to tourists searching for that perfect holiday destination. Since the heatwaves make the UK the new Spain, “staycations” are increasing in popularity as much as “coolcations”. This June, Sykes, a holiday letting company, discovered that 64% of Brits were opting for a domestic holiday over travelling abroad. Several factors influence the rise of “staycations”, including affordability and increasing fuel prices. However, Cornwall’s picturesque coast, and the Cotswold’s idyllic countryside, make for a splendid summer with Mediterranean-like weather. Despite its discomfort, heat continues to attract British tourists to Spain, Italy and Greece, while others take advantage of the British heatwave.

Holiday culture has gradually shifted from striving towards sustainability, to utilising an unprecedented global climate. Staying in the UK or going overseas sees tourists embrace the heat, whilst holiday go-ers flee to the North to escape said heatwaves. Abroad or not, holidays cost. Yet, those with the money can travel afar to cool down, whereas those with less must holiday at home and gun through the unbearable heat.

The Mediterranean, the Americas, and African and Asian countries, are known for their high temperatures. Yet, travellers expect hotel resorts to have 24/7 air conditioning in every room, and swimming pools and chilled drinks for their guests. On holiday, tourists, particularly those who can afford a luxurious stay, know they can take a break from the overwhelming heat.

While air conditioning cools us temporarily, the Nordics are haven from a sweltering globe, chiefly attracting the elite with its glamorous accommodation and excursions. Instead of encouraging sustainable travel, “coolcations” promote travelling to countries where climate change feels less present. Although temperatures are slowly rising in the northern hemisphere, climate change is not blistering the land as noticeably. It leaves minute traces, like an ethereal ghost haunting icy landscapes.

Holidays should be a welcome and well deserved escape from life’s pressures and current affairs. However, the climate crisis is revealing the gap between wealthier tourists who can afford cooler spots, and those who cannot splash out on air conditioned resorts, or wintery destinations. Cooling systems and colder countries epitomise the escapism holidays grant.

Rather than altering how we travel, global warming sees us turn the cold into a commodity. We yearn to feel cold again, not only for our health but to blissfully ignore the world is on fire. To be somewhere artificially or naturally cold is to forget England’s parched fields, or France’s wildfires. Looking out at the sea or a snowy mountain, the climate crisis does not feel so real anymore. Only when we return home do we remember mankind’s devastating impact on our planet.

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