Cool-cations are this summer’s hottest travel trend

As summer temperatures continue to rise across Europe, Britons are actively adapting how they travel. Whether you are swapping a crowded beach for a Nordic retreat or travelling outside peak season, finding ways to stay cool and comfortable is now just as important as finding award-winning travel insurance. 

According to our July Travel Confidence Bulletin, traditional summer holidays are evolving. Our research shows that 43% of people say extreme heat has changed how they plan and book their trips. 

Instead of flocking to the hottest holiday spots, travellers are looking for new ways to beat the heat:

• 26% now actively avoid destinations during their hottest periods
• 22% choose to travel outside the peak summer season entirely
• 48% are now more likely to check if their accommodation has reliable air conditioning

Cooler destinations are becoming increasingly popular. Our data shows that travel insurance policy sales for trips to Norway rose by 24% year on year in the first half of 2026, moving it up from tenth to seventh place in our destination rankings. Iceland is also seeing a surge, with policy sales up by 18%.

Scorching weather also influences when and how Britons plan their holidays. According to our data, 22% of travellers would choose a UK holiday or staycation, 20% would delay or avoid travelling until temperatures became more bearable, and 15% would sidestep the heat at home by booking a cool-cation overseas.

If you are considering a cool summer escape, taking a look at our travel insurance for Norway or our travel insurance for Iceland can help you start planning your Nordic adventure. If you’d like to explore closer to home, our UK travel insurance is just the ticket.

If you are still heading to a warmer climate, a little extra planning goes a long way. Heat checks are becoming a standard part of preparing for a toasty trip.

Before you book, we recommend that you check:

• typical temperatures for your travel dates, current local heat alerts, and the latest Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice for your destination and stopovers.
• whether your accommodation has air conditioning, shade and access to drinking water.
• flexible booking, cancellation and date-change terms and conditions, including who will have to foot the bill if you choose to change your travel plans.
• insurance policy documents for cancellation, disruption, medical and repatriation cover.
• that all your pre-existing medical conditions, new diagnoses and medication changes have been declared where needed.
• that your medicines can be stored safely in a cool area while you’re travelling and on holiday.

Extreme weather can sometimes disrupt travel plans. While the heat alone does not automatically mean a trip can be cancelled at no cost, you can still contact your airline if you need to cancel or reroute your flight, or if there are any operational disruptions caused by the heat. 

If you booked your trip through a tour operator, you can contact them directly to see if you can change your travel dates or if a refund is possible.

If you’re already on holiday and you need emergency medical support, repatriation, have to make a claim or have questions about your holiday cover, you can contact your travel insurer.

Our research shows that 21% of travellers now check whether their holiday insurance covers disruption or cancellation linked to extreme weather. Our Travel Disruption Extension was built to protect you from the unexpected and can step in if a wildfire breaks out at your holiday destination because of high temperatures.

It comes standard on Signature policies and is available as an add-on for Basic and Comprehensive, and can cover you for:

• trip curtailments or cancellations if official government institutions, like the FCDO, tells you not to travel or to come back home.
• pre-booked activities.
• scheduled transport delays.
• extra travel and accommodation costs so you can continue with your journey (either to reach your destination or to return home) if your original pre-booked plans were disrupted.
• extra travel and accommodation costs if you have to stay somewhere else or go home early because of unexpected events, like a fire, flood, explosion, earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption, landslide, food poisoning outbreak at your hotel, terrorist event, hurricane, war or conflict situations.

Just remember that our Travel Disruption Extension covers you for unforeseen events. If an event is already happening or expected to happen by the time you buy, it won’t be covered.

With award-winning cover for pre-existing medical conditions and all ages, we are ready to help you enjoy the travel experiences you have always dreamt of. Over 13 million travellers have trusted us to protect their adventures since 2014, and both our Comprehensive and Signature policies hold a 5-star Defaqto rating and are 2026 Which? Best Buys.

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