A string of heat-related deaths in the Mediterranean this year has raised serious concerns about how climate change may effect the future of travel. Summer is traditionally the busiest vacation season for renowned sunny places such as Greece and Italy, as tourists seek beachside escapes. However, when temperatures climb across Europe, many of these bucket list places become increasingly unpleasant and even unsafe, prompting travelers and tour operators to change their plans.
Companies that provide outdoor activities are impacted especially hard. For example, Follow the Camino, which organizes walking pilgrimages along the Camino de Santiago.
According to Ciarán Bruder, the company’s marketing communications specialist, the winter months have generally seen fewer bookings, but this has changed in recent years. “With the summers getting hotter, [we’re finding] people would rather be rained on for a week than have heatstroke,” he told me.
Similarly, Intrepid Travel, which provides immersive travel experiences in countries throughout the world, has had to make frequent changes to tours with active itineraries, particularly during the warmer months.
