Scorching temperatures and the resulting forest fires are changing the tourist map of Europe. The most popular destinations are under threat, while the “cooler” ones are waiting for an influx of tourists.
According to the publication Schengen-info, last year the number of tourists decreased by 10% due to the hot summer, at the moment temperature, fires, and hurricanes continue to expel tourists from the most popular destinations.
The heat of 45 degrees was recorded in many parts of Greece, Italy, and Spain. These temperatures force tourists to escape to cooler places. Data from the European Tourist Commission showed that the number of travelers planning to travel between June and November fell by 4%, with Spain least affected – 8% of respondents plan to visit it in the coming months, 7% want to visit France and Italy, and Greece and Croatia seriously asked – only 5% are ready to go there. At the same time, there is a growing demand for places with a cooler climate – such as Bulgaria, Ireland, the Czech Republic, and Denmark, they are becoming more and more popular.
And the hot “hell” continues at popular resorts that are visited as beach and excursion destinations. In Italy, seven victims of extreme weather conditions have already been counted – three people died in the south due to forest fires, and another four – in the north due to hurricanes. In France, forests are burning in areas adjacent to Nice airport, so there is a risk of closure.
Greece has already recorded the largest evacuation in the last 20 years. In Croatia, the fire is approaching Dubrovnik, which is extremely popular with tourists – forest fires are raging only 12 kilometers from the resort, and the situation has been exacerbated by stormy winds.