Extreme heat is starting to change the way we holiday
It was the summer of 2023, and Katie Piercefield-Holmes from Suffolk travelled to the Greek island of Rhodes with her husband and two children for a 10-day holiday.They'd booked a room with air conditioning at a resort, intending to spend the time relaxing in the swimming pool and sightseeing – but this wasn't possible because of the searing heat. "Even after breakfast, a five-minute walk would be unbearable," she recalls.Then came the wildfires, which swept across the island. "With the heat from the wildfires, it felt over 40C," she adds.In all, some 19,000 people were evacuated from their homes or holiday accommodation in Rhodes that July. Pictures of tourists fleeing the island were splashed across newspaper front pages and one newlywed couple from Glasgow described it as like "being thrown into a disaster film". Katie's family was advised to evacuate their villa, but chose to stay, believing it would be safer.The experience has, she says, changed the way she and her family have holidayed for good.
The summer heatwave of 2023 gripped much of Europe, particularly countries around the Mediterranean including Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Cyprus. Temperatures reached 40-45C by day in some regions. In all, there were more than 47,000 heat-related deaths throughout Europe in 2023, according to the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) – most were in southern areas.The previous year had also seen multiple heatwaves across Europe, including the first recording of 40C in the UK. More than 68,000 people died on the continent, according to ISGlobal.While the 2024 season in Europe wasn't as extreme, scientists are clear that human-induced climate change is leading to more frequent and intense heatwaves around the world.But along with this change in summer weather comes other changes too. In all, 81% of Europeans say they have tweaked their holiday plans because of factors related to climate change, according to a report published in April by the European Travel Commission (ETC).Almost a third are choosing destinations where the weather is milder.Ms Piercefield-Holmes is among them. She has returned to Greece with her family since 2023, but only during the cooler months of October and May - during the summer, the family still travel but take a different approach. "We go [somewhere] where it isn't as hot and can plan different activities like hiking and sightseeing," she explains.The family are not along. Simon Calder, a journalist and broadcaster on BBC's The Travel Show, says that a number of travel agents have observed some families choosing to take their main holiday over Easter, rather than during the summer.
And this could well be a growing trend: Bas Amelung, a professor in environmental systems analysis at Wageningen University, says that certain parts of Europe might become too hot for many in the future. "Countries such as Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey that currently attract the traditional 'sun and sand' summer tourists are likely to become too hot for comfort in the summer," he says.But he also believes that even if temperatures don't go up much in the short term, the perception may still stick."People take decisions based on their perceptions," he explains. "So if a large majority of holidaymakers thinks some European destinations will soon be 'too hot', they may well start adapting, either by going somewhere else in summer or by going to the same place in another season."Which all begs the question, what does that mean for holiday resorts across the Mediterranean, in particular those that have come to rely on summer tourism trade? And if the idea of "high season" changes, what does that mean for the tradition of a seaside summer holiday?
Extreme weather in the Med
It's not just heatwaves - climate change is affecting tourism in other ways too.Sea level rises are projected to increase by around 0.8-0.9m by 2100. This could lead to a long-term threat to some beachside resorts, including a number in the Caribbean, which are typically less than 1m above current sea levels.Pacific islands, meanwhile, are vulnerable to storm surges – these could also be threatened by rising sea levels, as well as changing weather patterns. Cyclones in the region could become more intense too, according to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.It is Europe, though, that will most affect British holidaymakers. Currently it is their top destination - and according to the World Meteorological Organisation, Europe is also the fastest-warming continent on Earth.
Beaches, in particular, could be at risk. One study suggests that a fifth of the sandy coastline of the Mediterranean could face severe loss by 2050, under the middle of the IPCC's five climate projections scenario.Southern Italy and the Iberian peninsula are also identified as being at high risk due to climate change.Meanwhile Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told a cabinet meeting in 2023: "We are already experiencing the effects of the climate crisis, and we know that things will probably get worse, not better, with higher temperatures, more drought and strong winds."
The resorts that are adapting
Already, there are some small signs that indicate more people are holidaying outside the traditional peak season. In all, 8% fewer people plan to travel to the Mediterranean this summer compared to last year, according to Teodora Marinska, chief operating officer of the ETC.Meanwhile, more people appear to be travelling to the region outside the traditional months: Greece saw a 20% increase in spring tourism in 2024 compared with the same period in 2023, according to analysts from the National Bank of Greece.And foreign arrivals to Spain exceeded 10 million in January and February of 2025 – almost a 20% increase versus 2019 levels."These are increases on small numbers, because these nations are usually quite empty in the winter, but we can already see that the growth is concentrated there," explains Ms Marinska.This has been welcomed by authorities in some places. "We've seen destinations increasing investment in connectivity in the winter months – for instance, adding flights to the winter schedule."Rather than destinations emptying out in the summer months, Ms Marinska sees it as more a levelling of the peak to a gentle curve – which could boost economies of tourist hotspots, instead of damaging them."Tourist boards have been investing heavily in fighting the seasonality trend, not only because of overtourism, but because it's much more sustainable for a hotel to stay open all year round [and] jobs are more stable," she adds.For example the German highland region of Spessart, in Bavaria and Hesse, is shifting its focus to year-round tourism by developing new trails and promoting activities such as hiking, biking and wellness.
Certain places on the Med popular with tourists are also starting to adapt what they offer."Countries, such as Spain, are starting to wake up to the consequences of climate change and the reality of the need to adapt," says Prof Amelung. "Things are starting to change slowly, but surely."A number of towns are, for example, offer evening markets and indoor activities during the hottest parts of the day. Mr Calder recalls going on a walking tour of the Italian Adriatic city of Grado that began at 10pm.Yet in some areas there are cost implications. In 2024, Greece replaced its accommodation tax with a new "climate crisis resilience tax" that aims to support rebuilding efforts after climate related disasters. It means that for a week's holiday in Greece between April and October, travellers could be charged up to £88 extra per room.
From staycations to summers in Scandinavia
All of this could lead to some new patterns in the way people spend their vacations - and where they go. Staycations, for example, could become even more popular. More than half of UK holidaymakers say they are likely to choose to holiday at home rather than abroad for climate-related reasons, according to 2024 research by Mintel. Some 28% say warmer UK temperatures are encouraging them to take domestic holidays.What remains to be seen is how this could affect the price tag. "A significant shift in holiday habits could push up the cost of a domestic holiday," says Mr Calder. "If more people decide to stay in the UK, and others come to Britain because it is more climatically appealing, the rise in demand would trigger price increases. But there are always locations where you can get reasonable deals."
Industry experts have also noticed a growing trend of holidaymakers choosing different, less traditional destinations in Europe too for their summer breaks."There is an increased emphasis on travel to northern destinations, with more routes to Iceland, Norway and Finland than ever… spreading tourism more evenly," according to Mr Calder."Destinations such as Scandinavia that weren't hugely popular in the past are also becoming a bit more fashionable due to Instagram trends," agrees Sean Tipton of the Association of British Travel Agents.A number of alternative European beach destinations are becoming more popular: places like Albania, Montenegro or Bulgaria are growing at a much faster pace than traditional destinations, observes Ms Marinska."The beach holiday is still by far the more popular type," she stresses. "But there's a shift in behaviour, and people are choosing different destinations for their beach holidays."
The school holidays factor
Although many experts are predicting that holiday patterns will shift, it doesn't appear to be happening on a large scale. And, there are limits to these shifts. While certain groups can be more flexible about when they holiday, such as retirees or those without young children, this may not be possible for those with children of school age who want to break up the long summer period, points out Prof Amelung.Even some people I spoke to who have been caught up in extreme situations on holiday aren't deterred from seeking out sunnier climes during the summer. Daniel Rolfe, who was on honeymoon in Rhodes during the 2023 wildfires, is one of them. "We wouldn't necessarily change holiday plans or habits because of climate change and hot weather [but] we'd look at how likely wildfires might be before going anywhere".But, warns Prof Amelung, if there are many more very hot summers, holiday patterns may yet change."If we have major heatwaves and wildfires all across the Med in three or four out of the next five summers, this may well be a tipping point in public perception, going from 'the Mediterranean climate is ideal for summer holidays' to 'the Mediterranean is just unbearably hot in summer; let's go somewhere else'."
Top picture credit: Mizina/ Getty Images
BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis, with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day. And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too. You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
an hour ago
- Times
The pretty Portuguese city perfect for an affordable family holiday
With the end of term in sight, summer holiday fear may have set in if you haven't yet booked a getaway. Look beyond the Med's best-known resorts and it's still not too late to book, especially if you prefer to break away from the beach for history, culture and shopping. Often overlooked in favour of crowded Lisbon, Portugal's second city Porto makes the ideal summer week away, with its brightly coloured old town, peaceful parks, vibrant street art and child-friendly museums. Temperatures in the mid-20s and a cooling Atlantic breeze mean you'll also be able to enjoy boat cruises on the Douro River or spend lazy days on beaches just outside the city. For a little more space and much lower prices, swerve the historic centre for Vila Nova de Gaia, just south of Porto on the opposite bank of the Douro. Seven nights' room-only at Gaia Residence, including flights from London Gatwick, costs £371pp with easyJet, based on a family of four, departing on August 2; you can add breakfast for £59pp for the week. An underseat cabin bag is included and a 15kg suitcase costs an extra £80pp return. A taxi from the airport takes less than half an hour and costs about £28 one way ( The modern apartment building is a 30-minute walk to the 19th-century iron Luis I Bridge, which crosses directly into Porto's Unesco-listed old town, Ribeira. Alternatively, Joao de Deus metro station is a ten-minute walk away, where you can jump on the yellow Line D to Trindade station, five minutes' stroll from Ribeira, for about £2. You'll stay in a roomy one-bedroom apartment with wooden floors, plenty of storage space and a kitchenette for whipping up picnics. A separate living area has a sofa bed for children. There are bikes for rent, a small spa and an indoor pool, but this does cost an extra £17pp per day. A stylish but informal restaurant serves brunch, classic Portuguese dishes like prego no prato (beef with fried egg) and child-approved favourites like burgers and pizza. You're already on the right side of the river for the Gaia Cable Car, which has the best view of higgledy-piggledy Ribeira (adults £6, under-12s £3; or see it from the water while cruising on a rabelos, a traditional wooden boat (£17; From the river, most sights are within walking distance including the Sao Bento train station with its decorative blue and white tiled interior, the 249ft bell tower of Clerigos Tower (£9 adults, under-10s free; and the magical Livraria Lello bookshop, said to have inspired the one-time Porto resident JK Rowling to write the Harry Potter books (£9 entry redeemable against book purchase; • Read our full guide to Porto Snoop round the cobbled back alleys looking for street art, then call by interactive museum World of Discoveries (adults £15, under-12s £10; or the 3D Fun Art Museum (adults £11, under-12s £8; If the sea is calling, the sandy Lavadores and Madalena beaches are about three miles from the hotel and are lined with seafood restaurants to watch the sun go down over the Atlantic with a glass of local port. This article contains affiliate links, which can earn us revenue • Return Gatwick-Porto flights, departing on August 2 • Underseat cabin bag allowance• Seven nights' room-only at Gaia Residence ( Feeling flush? If you're inspired but you've got more cash to splash, you could try: Over the river in Porto itself and 20 minutes' walk from the heart of Ribeira, the newly refurbished four-star Room Select Porto is in Praca da Republica, close to the city's cathedral. Forty-three rooms have a Scandi-chic feel with chestnut oak floors, wooden room dividers and minimalist furniture including a desk. Many have views over the rooftops towards the river. Downstairs, there's a small 24-hour fitness centre and a bar with a terrace, which serves a good buffet breakfast for an extra cost. City tours can be arranged at the front desk and a paid-for shuttle to the city centre is Seven nights' room-only from £781pp, including flights ( • 16 of the best hotels in Porto for 2025 One of Porto's most luxurious hotels, the five-star Pestana Palacio do Freixo is in a baroque 18th-century palace in the riverfront suburb of Freixo and is classified as a national monument. Rooms are in the adjacent former flour mill and contemporary shades of chestnut and gold, complete with mosaic-tiled bathrooms and abstract art. In summer, there's an outdoor infinity pool with a bar and river views, while the spa has an indoor heated pool and Turkish bath. The fine-dining frescoed restaurant Palatium serves upmarket Portuguese dishes made with local ingredients but also has a menu of children's favourites for peaceful Seven nights' B&B from £1,229pp, including flights (
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Reds' Elly De La Cruz and Mariners reliever Trent Thornton fall ill while playing in extreme heat
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz and Seattle Mariners reliever Trent Thornton got sick Saturday while playing in the extreme heat that covered much of the United States. De La Cruz vomited on the field with two outs in the fourth inning of Cincinnati 's extra-inning loss at the St. Louis Cardinals. He was checked on by a trainer, and two workers from the grounds crew cleaned up the area. The 23-year-old De La Cruz, who is from the Dominican Republic, stayed in the game and hit a two-run homer in the seventh. Thornton pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings for Seattle before departing in the eighth in a 10-7 loss at the Chicago Cubs. The 31-year-old right-hander had to be helped from the field. Mariners manager Dan Wilson said Thornton had 'a little bit of a heat-related illness.' 'It was a scary moment, for sure,' Wilson said. 'He battled hard. But just really glad that he's feeling a little bit better now and should be OK.' The gametime temperature for Reds at Cardinals was 92 degrees, and it was 94 for the first pitch of the Mariners' loss to the Cubs. Milwaukee's game at Minnesota was played under an excessive heat warning. Seattle and Chicago finished their game with three umpires after Chad Whitson got sick. Dexter Kelley moved from second base to home plate. Whitson was treated in the Mariners' dugout. 'He came in, same kind of thing. Just was not feeling well,' Wilson said. 'Threw up a few times in the dugout and then they came and took care of him from there. The heat was a real thing today, for sure.' Whitson was dealing with some dehydration, but a Major League Baseball spokesman said he was doing better Saturday night and had been cleared to work third base for the series finale. A Wrigley Field staffer had a heat-related medical issue right after Saturday's game, according to a spokesman for the Cubs. He was tended to by medical personnel and walked off the field on his own. The Cubs set up cooling and misting stations throughout Wrigley to help fans with the heat on Saturday, along with additional emergency personnel. The team had similar plans in place for Sunday, along with bringing in a city bus to use as a cooling station on the street. ___
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Inside Georgia Kousoulou and Tommy Mallet's lavish wedding in Majorca as couple say 'I do' with their 'dream' ceremony
Georgia Kousoulou and Tommy Mallet spared no expense for their 'dream' second wedding in sun-drenched Majorca, Spain, on Friday. The couple and their friends shared a first look at their picture-perfect day on Instagram, with Georgia dazzling in a breathtaking white gown and Tommy cutting a stylish figure in a tailored beige suit. They wrote: '20.06.2025. Our Dream wedding finally happened... 'Best day of our lives. Surrounded by so much love. Can not wait to get all of our pictures & videos back to show you how incredible it was.' With sun-soaked backdrops, designer touches and a guest list full of familiar faces, the celebration oozed glamour – and fans won't have to miss out, as the couple teased: '& you'll be able to watch it all.' To top it all off, the big day fell on Georgia's birthday, making the luxurious celebration all the more unforgettable. The couple were joined by their adorable children, Brody, four, and Gigi, just seven months, as they celebrated their big day surrounded by loved ones. TOWIE stars Chloe Ross, Sam Mucklow, and Danielle Armstrong were also among those on the star-studded guest list. Wedding guests including Shelby Tribble took to Instagram to share photographs from the special day as they gave an insight into the party. She shared photos of the extravagant outdoor dinner setup, revealing a sprawling U-shaped table draped in crisp white linens and adorned with an array of pink-hued flowers in varying shades. Adding to the luxury, several chandeliers hung overhead the table, creating a breathtaking canopy of glamour. She also posted a snap of their wedding 'newspaper', which featured a glamorous photo of the couple on the front page. Adding a playful touch, each guest received a 'But Did You Die?' recovery kit - the perfect remedy for any sore heads the morning after the lavish celebrations. The newlyweds certainly pulled out all the stops for the special day and also provided guests with small bottles reading: 'We've tied the knot so take a shot!' Shelby also shared a gorgeous snap of her posing alongside bride Georgia as well as photographs of her posing with her partner Sam Mucklow. She looked as glamorous as ever in a frilled blue dress while Sam looked suave in a sand suit as they soaked up the sun on the big day. Cara De La Hoyde also posted a sweet video of herself and her husband Nathan Massey cuddling up to one another as they celebrated their friends' union. For the day, Cara cut a glamorous figure in a show-stopping yellow sequin gown with a plunging back design, while Nathan looked suave in a grey suit. Taking to Instagram, she penned in a caption: 'The most beautiful day to celebrate the most beautiful couple. ThankYou & for letting us be part of it.' Georgia stressed that the wedding was very much the product of her own imagination and her husband had minimal involvement. She told OK!: 'I ask him for his opinions, but honestly, I don't want him to get involved. It's my thing. I want him to be shocked, like, 'Wow, this is amazing!''. The couple's first official wedding in December 2023 was a much more low-key affair and ended with a humble Chinese takeaway. Georgia told The Sun about the nuptials at the time: 'We came back to mine and had a Chinese. It was unreal. It is so me and Tommy. 'I literally got back, got my PJs on straight away and we had a Chinese. 'The best bit about it was that we hired tables. So we had a top table…And we all just stuffed our faces with Chinese … it was actually brilliant. So good.' Ahead of her second wedding, Georgia enjoyed a wild, fun-filled hen party in Ibiza at Wayne Lineker's O Club. The star poked fun at the end of her single days by having her and her girlfriends dress in black. The star was joined by longtime pals including Amber Dowding and Lydia Bright as they got into the partying spirit at the celebrity hotspot. The happy couple's romance first blossomed in 2014 when Tommy became a TOWIE cast member. Georgia and Tommy met a few months before filming TOWIE at the gym, with Tommy experiencing an instant attraction to his now wife. After going from strength to strength over the next six years, they revealed they were expecting their first child in December 2020. Tommy wrote at the time that his life felt 'complete' and they went on to welcome a son, Brody Fordham, in May 2021. Then, in 2022, Tommy finally popped the question in Mexico, preparing a lavish beach surprise with rose petals and candles. The couple, who famously enjoyed an early date at a pie and mash shop, announced that they were engaged in February of that year before making it official the following December. Their family then grew to four when they welcomed their second child, a baby girl, Gigi Fordham, in November 2024. Gigi's birth came after they bravely opened up about experiencing a miscarriage and undergoing IVF as they attempted to grow their family.
