Travellers are increasingly seeking cooler destinations says new survey

One in four travellers (25%) are planning to seek out countries with cooler temperatures, according to a survey conducted by Walr Research on behalf of UK insurer InsureandGo.

This course of action was most popular among those aged between 35–44 years old, with over a third (35%) expressing cooler climates.

This is in contrast to 34% who said that they would continue to holiday during the traditional summer peak period – but would take steps to be prepared for summer heat.

The survey, which consulted a nationally representative sample of UK adults in June 2025, aimed to explore how holidaymakers are reacting to the prospect of hotter summers due to climate change.

The report also found that over a third (36%) of respondents were looking to shift their main holiday by a month or two, to either the spring or autumn. In particular, those with children were looking to make fuller use of Easter and half-term holidays.

Over-55s were the demographic most likely to travel at a cooler time of year – likely due to the reduced likelihood of them being governed by school holiday dates.

Sun-chasers in retreat

The move to avoid extreme heat during the summer holiday among many travellers reflects growing concern about the worsening issues of heatwaves and wildfires. Over three quarters (76%) of adults surveyed said that they thought one or more popular holiday destinations would become too hot to visit in the next five years.

Of the popular destinations suggested, Spain was seen as the most likely to become too hot for a summer break (40%), followed by Greece (39%), Turkey (36%), Cyprus (30%), and Italy (22%).

Additionally, one in 10 people said they felt the UK could become too hot to enjoy a staycation within the next five years.

“People aren’t just chasing the sun anymore – they’re thinking about how to cope with it. For some, that means skipping July and August altogether,” said Garry Nelson, Head of Corporate Affairs at InsureandGo. “For others, it means ditching southern Europe in favour of cooler destinations. Even the unthinkable is on the cards, as some staycationers become overseas holidaymakers to escape the summer heat in the UK – a country that is not really geared to cope comfortably with extreme heat.”

A recent survey by Allianz Partners US found that Gen Z, Millennials and more affluent households are most likely to travel this summer.