Rising global temperatures and tourism: Decoding the ‘coolcation’ trend in Nordic destinations

Abstract

Climate significantly impacts tourism, influencing destination choices and activities. As global temperatures rise, cooler climates are becoming attractive alternatives, leading to the ‘coolcation’ trend, which addresses climate change challenges. The aim is to explore and define the new term ‘coolcation’, while identifying its characteristics, implications, and its potential impact on the tourism industry, through a qualitative research design. This study explores how Destination marketing organizations (DMO) from various Nordic destinations make sense of the concept of “coolcation”. The primary data collection method will consist on semi ‑structured interviews with representatives from Destination Management Organizations (DMO) of Nordic destinations. The rise of “coolcations” presents both opportunities and challenges. It opens new pathways for tourism in colder climates, potentially boosting local economies. On the other hand, it may also cause excess pressure on local infrastructures and natural resources. For this reason, the DMOs agree that is crucial to promote responsible tourism practices to ensure the sustainability of these destinations.