Greece, Spain and Turkey all being abandoned by Brits and not because of tourist protests

It's almost summer and is one of several countries readying itself for the annual influx of tourists. But beyond the typical hotel and pool cleaning routines, the country is also bracing itself for another arrival - one far more foreboding. Officials announced this week that they are deploying a record 18,000 firefighters, and nearly doubling Greece's fleet of drones, to tackle the ever-growing threat of . "It is clear that conditions are going to be particularly difficult," climate crisis and civil protection minister Giannis Kefalogiannis told reporters after nationwide training on Thursday. "We will all go to battle."

Authorities said the threat of climate-driven wildfires was "realistic", following weeks of drought. March was the hottest on record in Europe, while last month was the second-warmest April ever, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Now, forecasters are predicting June will be hotter than normal for southern Europe... and it hasn't escaped the notice of British holidaymakers.

Some 80% of travellers polled said they intended to shun traditional European destinations they believe will be too hot to visit within the next five years, according to research by travel insurance company InsureandGo.

Greece (48%), Turkey (45%), and Spain (44%) came out as the countries most at risk of being knocked off the summer holiday list by 2029.

Meanwhile, many holidaymakers are booking holidays in cooler climates across the Nordic and Baltic countries, and even as far afield as Alaska.

The trend for so-called "coolcations" has pushed several countries up many lists of favoured options for summer holidays. The top five destinations coveted by British travellers for their pleasant temperatures in InsureandGo's survey were Iceland (22%), Canada (21%), Sweden (18%), Ireland (17%) and Finland (16%).

According to Garry Nelson, InsureandGo's head of corporate affairs, holidaymakers have witnessed first hand the devastating impact of climate change both at home and abroad and this is now impacting their holiday plans.

"Wildfires and flash floods from recent summers are understandably influencing British holidaymakers' decisions and assessing extreme weather is now a feature of many people's holiday planning alongside where, when and how to get to their destination," he told the Express.

"The effects of climate change are increasingly evident during people's travels, whether it's extreme heat, flooding, forest fires, or the pollution visible on beaches. Undoubtedly, this is one of the biggest challenges we face in the coming years, and one we are taking extremely seriously."

And InsureandGo is not the only tourism operator to note the trend. Intrepid Travel recently reported a 50% increase in bookings to Iceland, Estonia and Scandinavia for trips between July and August this year by UK customers. Bookings to southern Europe over the same period are down by 15%.

"The days of the summer holiday to hot spots like Spain seem like they might be numbered," said company CEO James Thornton. He believes that seasoned, older travellers, plus first-time jetsetters aged 18 to 35, are driving the trend. "The growth is very much coming from baby boomers [and Gen X] in their 50s and 60s," he said of the former. "So, kids have left home, the mortgage is paid off, they have more free time to go out and see the world and are perhaps less affected by cost-of-living pressures."

Aside from their lower temperatures, colder destinations in Nordic countries are becoming more and more attractive to travellers because of their commitment to sustainability.

"We know from our own research that when it comes to people's holidays, most are willing to make changes," said Garry Nelson. "In fact, three quarters of people now say they are more open to considering a green holiday than they were 10 years ago, with the vast majority prepared to take small steps to minimise their environmental impact."

In July 2023, Joanna Wagott and her then 13-year-old daughter Zara were enjoying a short holiday in Vale do Lobo, a coastal resort in the Algarve.

Known for its luxurious hotels, world-class golf courses and stunning beaches framed by dramatic cliffs and crystal-clear waters, the Portuguese hotspot was a sunny paradise. But just days before they were supposed to return home, disaster struck.

"We were sitting at the hotel pool and suddenly a plume of grey smoke rose up behind the hotel - it was as if day had turned to night in seconds," recalls accountant Joanne, 51. "As we realised something very wrong was happening, more and more people walked then ran into the hotel to flee the choking fumes.

"The staff advised us to stay at the hotel but as the fire was so close people were ignoring this and grabbing their passports and leaving as quickly as they could. We tried to stay calm but it was one of the most frightening experiences of my life."

Unknown to the hotel staff and guests at the time, a massive wildfire had erupted nearby their hotel, forcing them all to escape to the safety of the beach.

Joanna, from Surrey, says: "As we made our way out, there was black, billowing fires away: Above, a furious inferno south of Athens last September; right, bid to quell huge fire elsewhere on Greek mainland this month trip terror: Joanna with daughter Zara smoke just 100 metres or so from where we were standing.

"I've never feared for my life before but I absolutely did at that moment. "It was five hours until we were allowed to walk back to the hotel. The surroundings were unrecognisable as the scenic route we had strolled down just days before - the land was scorched beyond belief."

When Joanna and her daughter returned to the airport several days later, the fires had spread in size and scale considerably. "I kept thinking, 'I just can't wait to get out of Portugal,'" she recalls.

Wildfires had never been a consideration in Joanna's holiday planning. Her experience has put her off travelling to very hot destinations in the summer because of the risks involved.

"We tend to go earlier in the summer now but in the future, places that are cooler will also be high on the agenda." she said. "This experience also taught me that insurance is so important. It's not something I had thought about before."

But not all travel experts agree on whether changing trends are linked to concerns over dangerous weather. Fiona Jeffery, chair of the Institute of Travel & Tourism Sustainability Committee, said: "While we've seen a diversification in the range of destinations people are booking worldwide generally, there is no clear data to suggest people are being put off destinations as a result of heatwaves or forest fires.

"Peak summer season remains the most expensive time to visit Mediterranean destinations, so it's the price more than anything that is making customers with school-age children look at alternatives, such as the half-term holidays in May, June and October.

"Families with pre-school age children and couples not tied to school holidays are generally choosing to travel outside the peak summer months anyway. Northern Europe is proving to be increasingly popular, where the climate is cooler but there are incredible experiences on offer, too, which creates appeal."

European travellers are increasingly aware of extreme weather events, according to the latest report by the European Travel Commission, a pro-European tourism agency, in March.

However, it seems travellers' concerns may have been short-lived - with only 9.8% of those questioned listing extreme weather as a top worry from October 2024 to March 2025.

Despite this, 79% of travellers did say they had adjusted their habits due to climate change, with many checking weather forecasts or avoiding extreme temperatures. Depending on what happens this summer, the number may start to soar - along with the mercury.