Experts says UK travels are looking towards ‘coolcations’ this summer (Image: Getty Images)
The school summer holidays are upon, and families are deciding where to go for their sun-kissed breaks – if they haven’t already decided on a destination.
But wildfires are ravaging countries that are often popular hotspots with British holidaymakers, and this could put a spanner in the works.
Parts of France, Spain and Italy have all been badly affected by the crisis, with the main driver being temperatures of over 40C in some countries.
If the raging blazes understandably put people the traditional Mediterranean locations, travel experts have come together to suggest alternative destinations to target this summer.
Reach PLC talked to a variety of travel industry insiders, and many suggested the same country. A number of people suggested visiting Norway, and Scandinavia more generally, due to the cooler temperatures associated with travelling north rather than south.
Wildfires such as this one in France are ravaging Europe (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Emily Grossman, travel expert with the site TrustedHousesitters, said: “For holiday travellers still weighing up their plans, it’s worth considering destinations less exposed to extreme heat and drought.
“We’re already seeing cooler summer climate choices reflected in TrustedHousesitters’ booking data. House-sitting stays in Norway up nearly 30% year-on-year, and Denmark is up over 24%”
Norway was also one of the options put forward by Jacqueline Mondelli, of travel insurance marketplace Squaremouth.
She added: “Similar to last summer, we’re seeing coolcations draw travellers away from the traditional European hotspots like Italy, France, and Spain, in lieu of cooler climates and outdoor adventures.”
France’s president Emmanuel Macron called the escalating situation the nation’s worst wildfire crisis since World War Two, with firefighters in France fighting around the clock.
Norway offers some stunning views (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Fires are also spreading rapidly in Spain while there are active blazes in northern and central Portugal, and in Sicily and parts of southern Italy.
Alicia Hempstead, travel insurance expert at MoneySupermarket.com, also suggested would-be holidaymakers could consider targeting a summer break in Scandinavia.
She said: “As wildfires are unpredictable and can arise at any moment, especially during periods of extreme heat, it’s difficult to say where people should choose instead.
“However, the safest approach would be to choose destinations that are less prone to extreme heat, for example, countries in Scandinavia such as Denmark or Sweden.”
Norway is easy to reach from the UK (Image: Getty Images)
Tim Gunstone, of HotelPlanner, agreed. He said: “Tourists are choosing cooler European destinations and to travel to the hottest destinations in October rather than August.
“The biggest winner has been Scandinavia. This has seen August bookings grow by a massive 120%.”
Bryce Collins, founder of INTRO Travel, added: “If you’re set on Europe, head north. The nordics rarely see the extremes, and anywhere on a coast or a big lake stays cooler, there’s something calming about having all that water around.”
Norway is easy to reach from the UK directly from a number of airports, with the same applying to Denmark and Sweden.
