How climate change will affect holidays in Europe

In many traditional summer holiday destinations in Europe such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal prolonged periods where daytime temperatures pass 35°C-plus are now commonplace. While there are plenty of travellers who relish the thought of near-guaranteed sun and heat on holiday, not everyone will find the prospect appealing. Climate change will also lead to warmer, drier weather in ‘shoulder season’ months like May-June and September-October in many parts of the continent, so more people will choose to travel in late spring and early autumn, when temperatures are traditionally not as high.

It’s not only ‘beach break’ destinations that are affected by hotter summer weather. “Many alpine routes are becoming more difficult, dangerous or impassable due to glacier retreat,” says Gabriel ‘Gec’ Isman, the founder of our partner Trekking Switzerland and a highly experienced mountain guide. “Simple snowfield passages now often traverse steep bare ice and snow bridges are only passable until midsummer. Thawing permafrost increases the risk of rockfall, especially on higher routes and moraine slopes are becoming unstable. The ideal season for many alpine treks is no longer summer, but spring or winter.”

One benefit of the warming climate is that it is extending the tourism season in Europe further into the year, which can help alleviate the pressure on busy destinations like Rome, Athens and Dubrovnik. Already some destinations are looking to increase their flights and ferry schedules into the winter months. This helps businesses to earn more during what is typically the low season.

What does the future hold for summer holidays in Europe? There is likely to be greater demand for all-inclusive resorts offering large swimming pools, bars and air-conditioned spaces, with no need to venture into the heat of the day at all. But these resorts typically do little for the local economy, and their environmental practices, such as consuming large quantities of water, often put further pressure on local resources that are already under strain.

Smaller, often rural properties such as our family hotels in Catalonia, or an agriturismo in Umbria, Italy offer plenty of shaded areas and places where guests can find a cooling breeze. Our holidays help people get out there and get to know their surroundings, organising local guides where needed, and providing a wealth of recommendations for places to eat, shop and explore. Crucially, these hotels often don’t rely on power-hungry air conditioning. Instead, they look to time-tested methods such as window shutters, in-room fans and passive-cooling techniques like white-painted walls.

A warmer climate means less snow in winter, and less snow means steep challenges ahead for the ski resorts of Europe. The lifts at dozens of smaller, low-lying resorts in France have ground to a permanent halt over the last decade, and even resorts at the highest elevations increasingly rely on snowmaking, which consumes vast quantities of water and electricity. “One of the most obvious areas where climate change affects UK tourism is the Scottish ski industry,” says Paul Easto. “Winters have changed beyond all recognition here. There are no longer near-permanent snowfields. We get the precipitation, but the snow level won't be high, or we have a cold two weeks and then suddenly it's like the summer and the snowpack is depleted.”

Snow is also on the mind of Riitta Kiukas, founder of our Finland partner Skafur-Tour. “It arrives later now. That means early winter, late-November to early December, can be problematic because if there is little snow that affects the activities people can do like snowshoeing or husky sledding.” With a shorter winter season, the peak Lapland travel months of December to February get very busy. “We’d like more tourists to come at Easter,” says Riitta. “People don’t realise we still have snow in Lapland in March and April, but actually these are some of the best months to come here.”

Places that have traditionally been seen as winter destinations will pivot to different seasons, and new activities that don’t rely on the white stuff. Lifts can just as easily carry walkers and mountain bikers as they can skiers, after all. “We're selling more walking holidays during the winter months as people realise it may not be too cold. Walking in 10-12 degrees is absolutely fine,” says Paul.

Built-up urban areas tend to be several degrees warmer than rural areas in summer – buildings and roads are usually dark, absorbing heat. It’s likely we’ll see a decline in city breaks during the peak summer months, especially to places that can get intensely hot like Barcelona, Valletta and Athens. Travellers who do brave daytime temperatures that can easily reach the high 30s°C will be more inclined towards indoor activities where the climate can be controlled, such as museums and art galleries.

Summer family activity holidays in places like Greece often take place on or near the coast, providing plenty of chances to cool off in the water. But hiking and mountain biking excursions will need careful planning to ensure they afford enough shade.

Northern Europe tends to be several degrees cooler than the south. Regions like Scandinavia and the Baltic states are becoming more popular with active travellers looking for summer adventures without the risk of extreme heat, though even countries where the summers are usually mild now see periods of extreme heat. “People want to go to places that are cooler but there are times when Norway is as hot as Spain,” says Borghild Krossli, adding that “although glaciers are getting smaller and less stable, meaning there fewer opportunities for tourists to walk on them, when they do it’s a perfect way to see the realities of climate change up close.”

It’s important not to over-emphasise the degree to which people worry about the environmental impact of their holidays – time away is supposed to be an escape from day-to-day concerns. But as the impacts of climate change become ever more obvious, many of us are considering how we can reduce our carbon footprint when we travel.

It’s vital to reduce short haul flights – they are more carbon intensive than long haul – but the cost and complexity of getting to most European holidays overland means this situation is not going to improve any time soon. However, when it comes to reducing the environmental impact of holidays, travellers and tour operators can make big differences in other areas relatively easily.

Many hotels are already taking steps to become more environmentally friendly, whether that is by using renewable energy, recycling grey water to irrigate gardens or flush toilets, or installing motion sensors and low energy bulbs for lighting.

Traveller reviews increasingly mention the sustainability measures of their accommodation, but tour operators such as our partners can also help them to make environmentally friendly choices such as by recommending nearby conservation projects they might want to visit and support, or how they can use public transport to get around.

More than half of European cities now have climate adaptation plans in place. Tourists will increasingly see evidence of climate resilience efforts in the destinations they visit. Cities around Europe, such as Athens, are rapidly planting trees for natural cooling on hot days. Coastal locations like Venice are coping with rising sea levels with flood barriers, while some cities close to rivers are testing early warning alarm systems for flooding. In mountainous areas glaciers are being covered with blankets to protect them from the sun’s rays and reduce melting.

Resilience and preparedness are essential given that climate change is already with us and is only going to worsen in years to come. In southern Europe especially that will mean protecting yourself from the sun as much as possible during the summer months.

In Greece, there are fewer archaeology trips in July and August nowadays, as wandering around ancient sites for hours while exposed to the brutal glare of the sun is exhausting, if not outright dangerous. In recent years medical teams have been called to the Acropolis in Athens because so many visitors were fainting from the heat. Many sites in Greece now close completely from around midday and reopen for the evening.

“The bigger activity companies and skiing centres in Finnish Lapland are backing up by storing snow or using artificial snow, so their business will grow whereas smaller ones have to find new, inventive ways to succeed and be fast to adapt to the circumstances,” says Riitta Kiukas. “And in the summer, changing weather in southern Europe will bring more tourists north who want activities like cycling, kayaking and hiking as temperatures here are still fine.”

Paul Easto agrees that climate change brings opportunities as well as threats. “Traditional properties in rural areas usually don’t have air conditioning. Twenty-five years ago, we wouldn’t get complaints that people couldn't sleep in Scotland because it’s too hot, but we do now. But I think the future's bright for UK tourism. People are looking at destinations that are slightly more hospitable, with more moderate weather, during the peak summer months.”

Climate change won’t put much of a dent into Europe’s popularity as a summer holiday destination. But it will mean travellers and tour operators must add another layer of consideration, the risk of climate-related factors, into their holiday planning, and be flexible enough to cope with unpredictable weather events.