After a summer of debilitating heatwaves that ravaged southern Europe, travellers are now anticipated to come to northern Europe, wondering if cooler temperatures could suit them better.

Although bookings to destinations like Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden are increasing compared to 2022, the Mediterranean region has continued to be Europe’s most popular summer vacation destination.

However, one of the largest tour companies in the world, TUI, predicted that climate change will also encourage more travellers to travel north. Other factors that may contribute include lower airfare and weaker currencies in Scandinavia.

According to Sebastian Ebel, CEO of TUI, the company’s travel season may change to begin sooner in the spring and end in the autumn. He added that it might also provide the Nordics, the Netherlands, Poland, and Belgium more vacation days.

“We will go into Greece to middle of November and I actually asked my colleagues, maybe we should open it until the end of the year, until or after Christmas,” Ebel told a media call.

“It gives us more opportunities for growth,” he said.

Ebel made his remarks in response to TUI’s announcement that expenditures associated with the Rhodes wildfires in Greece could total $27 million (25 million euros).

There is a rising demand for tours in regions like northern Norway.

The island community of Vesteraalen in northern Norway reported receiving visitors from central and southern Europe who had travelled there to escape the heat wave.

More direct aircraft routes to Northern Norway had been established as a result, it claimed.

Last week, Fabio Scaglione and Diego Bruno travelled from Turin, Italy, to Stockholm with about 20 other people on a trip arranged by an Italian travel firm.

“Last year we went to the South of Spain and it was very hot, this year we decided to go to a cooler place,” Bruno said.

A Scottish tourist named Heather Storgaard planned her summer vacation this year, starting in Denmark and ending in northern Germany. She claimed that for the previous five years, the heat has stopped her from travelling to the south.

“Previously we’d been to France, Italy, your normal summer destinations and we were getting to the point where I was actually feeling ill,” she said.

“Even Germany and Switzerland are too far south – that was last year’s attempt and it was still far too hot.”

Margit Wissenbach, a German who currently resides in Denmark, travelled to Sweden this year with the intention of going hiking and visiting places like Gothenburg.

Although Wissenbach frequently travels to Italy for work, she claimed she prefers the north for vacations. She remarked, “I would rather wander around in the rain than in an oven.

(Adapted from Reuters.com)

Categories: Creativity, Economy & Finance, Sustainability, Uncategorized