More and more British tourists are looking for cool destinations this summer

More and more Britons are looking for cool destinations for their summer holidays, due to high temperatures and fires in popular tourist destinations. This is shown by new research by the insurance company InsureandGo.

Fewer people travel in the summer – more people are looking for coolness

According to the survey of a sample of 2,000 adults, only 34% say they will continue to holiday abroad during the peak of summer, but are taking measures to cope with the heat. The remaining 66% are either adjusting the dates or choosing cooler destinations, or are thinking of giving up summer holidays altogether.

25% of those surveyed are planning a summer getaway, but with destinations that promise a milder climate. This trend is most evident among Londoners (29%) and those aged 35-44 (35%), groups that show increased awareness of the impacts of climate change.

In addition, 36% plan to move their main holidays to the spring or autumn, with many families taking advantage of the Easter holidays and school half-term. Scots are leading the way in this shift (45%), while the figure rises to 48% among the over-55s – an age group that is not dependent on the school calendar.

A small but notable proportion (6%) say they are now more likely to take a holiday in the winter, with the strongest supporters of this choice being those who have not travelled abroad for several years (15%).

Heatwave threatens popular destinations

Concerns about extreme temperatures and bushfires are growing. 76% of Britons believe that at least one popular tourist destination will be “too hot” for a summer holiday in the next five years – up from 70% in 2022.

Spain, Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey are in the red

• Spain (40%) tops the list of countries considered “too hot for a holiday in the future”, followed by Greece (39%), Turkey (36%), Cyprus (30%), and Italy (22%). Britons appear to be reassessing their choices, choosing to either visit these destinations in the off-season or avoid them altogether.

Notably, 10% believe that even the UK could become unsuitable for a holiday within five years due to high temperatures, which could hit domestic tourism.

New ‘cool’ options

In contrast, interest in countries with cooler summers is growing. Iceland (22%), Canada (21%), Sweden (18%), Ireland (17%), and Finland (16%) are now among the alternative destinations that Britons are considering for their summer holidays.

As Garry Nelson, Head of Corporate Affairs at InsureandGo, points out:

“People are no longer just chasing the sun – they are thinking about how to cope with the heat. For some, that means avoiding July and August altogether. For others, it means abandoning southern Europe for cooler places. Even the unlikely scenario of Britons leaving the UK in the summer to escape the heat is now on the table.”

The survey was conducted by Walr Research in June, on a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults, recording the impact of the climate crisis on the travel habits of Britons.