Coolcation trend grows as holidaymakers choose cooler destinations
Holidaymakers are increasingly choosing cooler destinations like Scotland to escape heatwaves, with travel firms reporting a surge in searches for cooler breaks.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The "coolcation" trend is gathering pace as holidaymakers swap sun loungers for cooler climes to escape record-breaking heat. In Scotland, where temperatures have been several degrees lower than in England and Wales, businesses are reporting a steady increase in visitors seeking relief from the heat.
In Glencoe, a family from London said the temperature was around 20C compared with 34C back home, allowing them to sleep under a duvet and enjoy outdoor activities. Local water sports operators say more Europeans and North Americans are coming specifically for the milder climate, while a self-catering cabin business in Lochaber has noticed guests from France, Italy and Spain, and now more from within the UK, booking for the weather. One owner said guests had arrived asking if it would rain, because that was what they came for.
The trend is not limited to Scotland. Travel data from Trip.com shows searches for cooler destinations such as Iceland, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland and Wales rose by 74% in the first part of the year, before the recent heat. The website also saw a 15% increase in "coolcation" content posted by users last summer. In Fort William, a self-catering provider on Loch Lenny said she had added a page to her website after noticing guests were choosing her accommodation for the climate.
Dutch walkers in the Highlands said they were enjoying the scenery and the cooler weather, though they joked about the midges. Tourism supports around 250,000 jobs in Scotland, and there are hopes that less-visited areas such as Aberdeenshire and the Borders could benefit from the shift. However, concerns about over-tourism remain, with popular spots like Skye already under pressure.
The "coolcation" concept marks a reversal of the traditional British holiday, where rain was often a disappointment. As one business owner put it, "Where at one point we were apologising for the Scottish weather, people now want it."
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One |
|---|---|---|---|
| More Europeans and North Americans are visiting the west coast of Scotland for its milder climate. | · | ||
| Visitors are coming to Scotland specifically for cooler weather, a trend reported as growing. | · | ||
| A self-catering provider on Loch Lenny added a page to her website after noticing guests were attracted by the climate. | · | · | |
| In July, Scotland was on average five degrees cooler than England. | · | · | |
| Scottish weather is now considered a serious factor for holidays. | · | · | |
| Tourism in Scotland supports around 250,000 jobs. | · | · | |
| Trip.com reported a 15% increase in coolcation content posted by users on its community platform last summer. | · | · | |
| Trip.com reported a 74% increase in searches for cooler places in the first part of the year. | · | · | |
| Water sports operators in Glencoe reported a steady increase in visitors seeking relief from the heat. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focuses on the growing popularity of Scotland as a coolcation destination, featuring interviews with holidaymakers and local business owners. It highlights the shift in perception of Scottish weather and touches on the economic benefits and concerns about over-tourism.
- “England and Wales' record-breaking heatwaves have seen people heading north to Scotland”
- “The last few years we're getting more and more Europeans and North Americans coming over here and just saying they've come to the west coast of Scotland exactly for the milder climate”
- “So where at one point we were apologising for the Scottish weather, people now want it”
This is the signed version of the same report as BBC One West, presenting the identical interviews and narrative. It emphasises the same points about the coolcation trend in Scotland, with no additional data or different angles.
- “England and Wales' record-breaking heatwaves have seen people heading north to Scotland”
- “The last few years we're getting more and more Europeans and North Americans coming over here and just saying they've come to the west coast of Scotland exactly for the milder climate”
- “So where at one point we were apologising for the Scottish weather, people now want it”
5 News takes a more data-driven approach, citing statistics from Trip.com and highlighting a surge in flight searches to cooler destinations. It features a different location (Fort William) and a lighter tone, with the presenter joking about the Scottish weather and midges.
- “There's been a huge surge in flight searches to cooler destinations like Iceland Norway, Slovenia Switzerland Wales and here in Scotland”
- “Trip.com found searches for cooler places went up 74%”
- “So we put a page on our website and since then we've been attracting more and more people for our climate”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.