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Planning responsible holidays is no longer a question of awareness, but a reality. That of having to deal with potential extreme temperatures when leaving in the middle of summer. Now, more than three quarters of Europeans are adapting their holiday habits according to climate change.
Preferring a hotel that has started thinking about reducing its carbon footprint, favoring excursions that respect animal welfare or local customs… Generally, when we address the issue of responsible tourism, we are interested in the steps taken to minimize the impact of tourism on both the environment and a population. And we often ask to what extent travelers are receptive to this type of commitment.
For example, the latest study by the giant Booking.com on the subject indicated that 45% of holidaymakers worldwide are aware of the need to consider stays that are more in line with the climate context. 43% of those who have planned responsible holidays over the next twelve months also admitted to feeling guilty when they do not make conscious choices in relation to the climate emergency.
Except that the environmental criterion is not just a question of choice. It is now a fact that is imposed when organizing your vacation, especially when it comes to protecting yourself from extreme temperatures. No one has forgotten the terrible images of the island of Rhodes, in Greece, last year. Nor has anyone omitted the scorching days at the end of August 2023. These memories logically have consequences on the desires of the following vacations: we are looking for cool! A trend that already has a name: “Coolcation”.
According to European Tourism Commission (ETC)demand for holidays in southern Europe is down 10% compared to 2022. European holidaymakers are increasingly turning to holiday resorts in the north (13%) but also in the west (18%). The climate is in fact the second criterion for choosing a destination (13%), just behind safety (16%). It is even more important than finding good deals (11%)!
Ultimately, 76% of Europeans say they are adapting their holiday habits based on climate change. And this is particularly true for travellers over 55, 32% of whom want to avoid destinations where they would experience extreme temperatures.
However, we should not be too quick to imagine that Greece, Portugal or the Côte d’Azur will lose their notoriety during the summer. While 16% of Europeans are mainly looking for destinations where temperatures are stable, demand for southern European countries is still very good (45%), with Spain and Italy making up the top choices (8% each), ahead of France (7%) and Greece (6%).
The sun and beach duo is still as coveted as ever: it is the preferred holiday for 19% of Europeans who have planned a project of this type over the next six months. That said, 15% have still got into the habit of monitoring the weather forecast while 11% opt for holiday activities that do not depend on the weather…