Travellers are shifting their preference to cooler destinations this European summer season, resulting in the rising popularity of countries such as Sweden.
Coolcations, identified by Conde Nast Traveller as one of the key travel trends for 2024, is the term given to the phenomenon whereby tourists are avoiding the record-breaking summer heat of popular European destinations in search of milder climates.
Booking.com’s travel predictions for 2024 indicate that 51% of travellers will be influenced by climate change when planning their travel this year, with 56% planning to spend their holiday in cooler locations.
Google Trends data shows a 300% increase in the phrase ‘cooler holidays’ compared to last year.
According to Visit Sweden, multiple regions are experiencing a growth in tourism in the upcoming season, with a 6% increase in foreign overnight stays in Skåne, an 11% increase in Dalarna and a 12% increase in Kalmar on the Baltic Sea.
The tourism organisation attributes this increase to travellers’ attraction to cooler weather in the tourist season.