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Coolcation trend: Northern Europe is attracting holidaymakers like never before!
More and more Germans are traveling to cooler regions. “Coolcation” is well received – but the Mediterranean remains the favorite.
Coolcation trend: Northern Europe is attracting holidaymakers like never before!
Demand for cooler holiday destinations is increasing, while the Mediterranean remains the Germans' preferred summer destination. This development is part of a new trend called “coolcation,” which involves traveling to regions with temperatures below 25 degrees Celsius. The tourism industry is closely monitoring this change, as vacationers' travel behavior is changing in the face of climate change. The Süddeutsche Zeitung reports on the growing attractiveness of northern travel destinations, which are becoming particularly popular for those seeking relaxation in the summer months.
Tui Germany spokesman Aage Dünhaupt points to millions of German holidaymakers who continue to prefer Spain, Greece and Turkey. Nevertheless, there is increased demand for northern destinations, which Dünhaupt describes as a niche trend. Dertour has also not noticed a significant change in travel behavior. Tourism experts assume that the Mediterranean will remain the top choice in the coming years.
Popular Coolcation Destinations
Travel magazines such as “Condé Nast Traveler” confirm the trend towards cooler destinations. The most popular destinations include Denmark, Norway, Austria and Sweden. The temperatures in these regions are between 18 and 25 degrees in summer. Lisa Volkmann from Check24 also reports increasing demand for bookings for flights, hotels and rental cars in these coolcation destinations. Bookings are up compared to last year, although prices for Scandinavian countries are typically higher than traditional Mediterranean destinations.
Another feature of the trend is the above-average booking growth in Sweden. According to tourism expert Christoph Heinzmann, however, there is no clear trend towards cooler holiday destinations, which is confirmed by HolidayCheck, which continuously records a predominance of bookings for classic warm water destinations.
Cruises are trending
Cruises to the north are also very popular. Tui Cruises has decided to deploy half of its “Mein Schiff” fleet in cooler sailing areas in the summer. As part of the summer sailings, Aida Cruises is positioning eight of eleven ships in German ports and plans to offer 290 trips to Northern Europe, with 80% of guests departing from German ports.
In addition, Tyrol in Austria and Galicia in Spain are considered attractive places for cool holiday experiences, while Brittany and the Dutch North Sea coast also offer cooler summer conditions. There are numerous holiday homes in particularly popular Scandinavian destinations that offer holidaymakers a cozy hygge atmosphere.
The tourism industry is facing interesting challenges and changes, influenced by both climate change and the individual wishes of travelers. Overall, it remains to be seen to what extent the demand for cooler destinations will continue to increase in the coming years. While the Mediterranean remains the preferred destination, the move towards “coolcation” is a notable trend that is receiving more and more attention. ZDF reports about these new travel patterns and trends.