Soon, travelers everywhere will start planning their 2025 holidays. How about… Greenland? The Faroe Islands? Or maybe Tromsø, Norway, where the summer sun barely dips below the horizon – and hygge-filled winter nights last practically all day. In a world that feels like it’s perpetually on fire – both figuratively and literally – these cooler climates are gaining year-round appeal.
This trend isn’t new for everyone. For generations, Michiganders and New Yorkers have escaped “Up North” and “Up State” to cool off from steamy city summers. But now, longer-haul vacationers are following suit, drawn to places like Scandinavia, with its icy-veined fjords and crisp, unspoiled landscapes. In our climate-challenged era, these northern regions offer not only a change of scenery but a rare sense of solace. Expect 2025 to bring a surge in demand as travelers seek relief from the seemingly perpetual summer closer to home.
Here’s the data:
Across the major airlines, seat capacity to Arctic Russia has soared by 20% since the pandemic, while Iceland and Greenland have seen increases of 17% and 14%, respectively, according to Skift Research. Even Denmark, with its temperate northern summers, has experienced a 7% rise in seats flown.
Compare that to the global average — up 3% — and we can see how the allure of cooler climates is changing travel preferences.
In 2023, Greenland welcomed 140,000 visitors, a whopping 40% increase vs. the previous year. And with the new 2025 non-stop flights from the New York City tri-state and a new route via SAS and three new airports, 2025 is projected to have far more.
“We see that there is this ‘cool-cation’ trend happening,” says Tanny Por, head of international relations for Visit Greenland, the country’s destination marketing organization. “We welcome it.”
‘Heat Fatigue’
Anyone who’s spent too much time where it’s way too hot outside knows that “heat fatigue” is real. Just look at the pace of global warming since 1880 from NASA.
In recent years, European and North American cities are consistently experiencing chart topping summer (and winter) temperatures, with some Mediterranean regions reaching 46°C (114.8°F) in 2024. The 2010s was the hottest decade in the modern era, with 2023 the warmest year.
“This year saw the hottest summer on record in the Northern Hemisphere, with 2024 looking likely to overtake last year as the warmest year yet,” says Susanne Etti, Global Environmental Impact Manager at the tour operator, Intrepid Travel. “The tourism industry has a front-row seat to the global climate crisis that is unfolding, which is leading to extreme weather events that threaten people, communities, and wildlife around the world.”
But as European summer travel continues to boom, a geographic shift is taking place, with more tourists choosing more northern European destinations in lieu of the intense southern heat.
“Restaurants, tour guides, and other industry players across the country tell us they’re meeting travelers who specifically came to Sweden for the cooler climate,” says Nils Persson of Visit Sweden. Google search metrics for Sweden and cool-cation was up 717% from 2020 to 2024.
Sweden’s appeal also aligns with shifting travel preferences, as travelers increasingly seek active experiences rather than traditional beach vacations. “They don’t just want to sort of lie on the beach with the piña colada in their hand in the sun,” Persson explains. “They want to do activities. And that is something preferably done when it’s not too hot. That is something that we can deliver on.”
Travel companies and airlines are adjusting their strategy by opening new routes and expanding seasonal flight capacities to meet this demand. Example: United Airlines’ new non-stop route to Nuuk, Greenland, from Newark, NJ, starting in the summer of 2025.
Social media is showing an increase in interest in Nordic destinations as travelers increasingly seek out cooler, less crowded locales. On TikTok, posts tagged #norway surged to 3 million in 2024, a 40% increase from 2023, while #visitnorway, #greenland, and #nuuk each saw nearly 20% growth this year, according to platform data. Travel-related content has also become a major draw, with 67% of TikTok users now actively searching for destination and experience ideas.
Implications for Airlines, Tour Operators, and Hospitality
Intrepid Travel is observing a notable shift in traveler behavior as demand for cooler, activity-rich destinations grows amid record-high temperatures. “We’re definitely seeing an increase in passengers seeking out cooler destinations in the summer months,” says Erica Kritikides, GM of Experiences at Intrepid Travel.
Scandinavia is leading this trend, with Norway and Sweden seeing a 19% year-over-year increase in booked departures between June and August. Meanwhile, traditional summer destinations like Spain and Greece are experiencing increased demand in the shoulder seasons (April-May and September-November), with a year-over-year rise of 8%. “It’s likely that rising temperatures play a part in this,” Kritikides thinks.
Luxury travel operators report a rising demand among high-net-worth clients for immersive trips to remote wilderness areas, as wealthy travelers seek to experience fragile environments while they can.
Destinations like Svalbard, Antarctica, and British Columbia are seeing renewed interest, with winter bookings up 40% year-over-year, according to Jimmy Carroll, co-founder of luxury travel operator Pelorus. “There is certainly a growing sense of urgency from luxury travelers to witness wildlife and places of outstanding natural beauty ‘before it’s too late,’” Carroll says.
Pelorus has adapted by offering experiences like luxury mobile camps and yacht expeditions tailored to these increasingly climate-conscious clients. CEO Geordie Mackay-Lewis emphasizes that “luxury has now taken on a new meaning for many,” as scarcity and environmental responsibility become key components of the appeal.
Yes, But…
As cooler destinations gain traction, destinations will need to protect against the very same circumstances that put them in the spotlight to begin with. While the opportunity is significant, infrastructure and environmental preservation will need careful attention.
“Being carbon neutral is no longer enough,” Intrepid’s Etti says, noting that the company commits to reducing emissions, setting science-based decarbonization targets, investing in nature, and promoting coordinated climate action across the industry.
Greenland’s tourism strategy focuses on sustainable growth, aiming to avoid the pitfalls of overtourism faced by far warmer destinations like Barcelona and Venice. Both government and industry leaders are prioritizing high-value, low-impact visitors over mass tourism. Current proposals to protect against overtourism and boost sustainability include legislation, zoning laws, and regulation to control visitor impact, especially in ecologically sensitive areas.
“Next year is going to be a test,” Por says.
