British holidaymakers ditch scorching Europe for cooler summer breaks

• British holidaymakers are choosing cooler destinations for their summer breaks, moving away from traditional hot spots as heatwaves rage across large parts of Europe.
• Travel search engine Kayak reported a rise in summer searches for places like Ottawa, Canada (up 166 per cent), Salzburg, Austria (up 92 per cent), and Scottish cities Aberdeen and Glasgow.
• Conversely, Kayak data showed a “modest” decline in searches for popular warmer destinations such as Alicante, Lisbon and Athens.
• Travel insurance provider Staysure observed a 24 per cent increase in policy sales for Norway and an 18 per cent rise for Iceland in the first half of 2026 compared to the previous year.
• A Staysure survey revealed that 58 per cent of 2,000 UK travellers would likely choose a cooler destination less exposed to extreme heat, with around 43 per cent saying extreme heat has already influenced their holiday planning.

IN FULL

Extreme heat driving British tourists away from the Med. Here’s where they’re going instead