“Coolcation”; Denmark´s magnetising appeal to tourists during the summer heat

David Sackler August 1, 2024 Weather Leave a comment

With growing heatwaves across Europe, as tourists hide in hotels from the 33+ C weather, a growing trend of “coolcations” is coming to the EU´s surface.

Denmark´s appeal

Tourism in Denmark has been on the rise since 2022, according to national tourism data; with innovative measures to preserve the environment, the country saw a surge in visits to Copenhagen, where tourists can get free benefits for cleaning up.

But the popularity doesn´t stop there; with the rising heat, more and more tourists are re-imagining their perfect holiday. The Director of Communications and Development at VisitDenmark, Anne Villemoes highlighted; “Tourism experts tend to believe that coolcations are already a trend that influences international tourism today. So, some international tourists may choose Denmark because of the cooler climate.”

She emphasized, however, that the refreshing weather is just “one of the reasons,” explaining that most tourists come to Denmark to make the best of activities including “cycling, water sports, being around nature.” Sweden´s average temperature during the summer ranges from +20 to +26 degrees Celsius; making it an idyllic climate for spending active time outdoors.

Another reason why so many choose Denmark is that they don´t miss out on the beaches; the Danish Riviera is especially popular for tourists who seek a relaxing and breezy summer by the historic badehotels (bath hotels) and charming seaside towns.

Cool for the summer

The “coolcation” trend similarly spreads to countries including Sweden and Norway, as a 2023 Visit Sweden survey in Germany revealed that 40 per cent of respondents are changing their travel preferences due to the heat in southern Europe. For some, this may include visiting sunny countries like Spain or Greece in the off-season, and for others, it may be going to the north altogether.

Anne Villemoes also shared that a recent survey revealed that almost one out of two international tourists were affected by extreme weather conditions during their holiday in 2023. The respondents admitted that it has influenced their decisions and that they´ve reconsidered the usual summer holiday destinations, seeking something new and refreshing.