What is a Coolcation? How extreme heat is changing where we go on holiday

ORIGIN: https://www.yourweather.co.uk/news/

Summer is almost here and everyone is busy making plans on where to head for more warmth and sun. But with summers becoming brutal in southern Europe, do we need to change how we look at our vacations?

With climate change brining higher temperatures, holidays are also changing.

Greek islands, Spanish shores and Cyprus coasts are not favourites as destinations for summer vacations this year. Instead, tourists are opting for ‘coolcations’, destinations which offer a milder climate. This could be the beginning of a major shift tourism sees in the years to come.

Climate change-induced changes

Two summers ago, parts of southern Europe, the summer destination for UK residents for decades, saw temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius. The extreme heat also sparked wildfires, prompting mass evacuations from popular tourist spots and prompting governments to issue travel advisories.

While extreme weather events affect residents and tourists alike, higher temperatures are likely to affect tourists more. As part of their holidays, tourists tend to spend more time outdoors, engage in more outdoor activities, and are more unfamiliar with