New vacation trend

Going to the sea despite the heat, but “coolcation” is on the rise

The beach in Lignano, which is extremely popular with Austrians

(Bild: Lignano Sabbiadoro)

Hot, hotter, vacation by the sea. While only a small proportion of tourists prefer the cool mountain air for the time being, the majority remain true to their travel habits. However, a new travel trend is about to take off.

Too hot, too cold, too windy, too calm, too rainy, too much snow, too little. No matter. "Doing right by everyone is an art that no one can do", as the saying goes. This is especially true of the weather. But in view of the historic August heat record that has just been set in this country, a debate has broken out about the (un)tolerability of temperatures above 30 degrees in Austria. Not to mention the 40 degrees in some of our favorite holiday destinations in the Mediterranean.

Back to the mountains
So what to do with the "heat-sensitive" in this country? Let's just send them on a summer vacation. Some tourism experts are already seeing a whole new vacation trend: back to the mountains to escape the heat.

Peter Zellmann is head of the Institute for Leisure and Tourism Research (IFT).

(Bild: Peter Zellmann)

Professor Peter Zellmann, head of the Vienna Institute for Leisure and Tourism Research (IFT) since 1987, emphasizes in an interview (see below): "Often behind this is the desire of domestic marketing agencies who want to proclaim a comeback of the summer resort." Nevertheless, Zellmann knows: "Our Alpine region is a fantastic combination of relaxation, nature and sporting opportunities. The cities also offer many cultural opportunities."

Be that as it may. A new travel trend is apparently taking off: it's called "coolcation" (made up of the words "cool" for cool and "vacation" for vacation).

You can feel the heat: a crowded beach in Lignano

(Bild: Lignano Sabbiadoro)

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/alexugalek - stock.adobe.com)

Hikers on the Kitzbühler Horn

(Bild: lettas - stock.adobe.com)

Scandinavia and Scotland are very popular
What are the most popular hotspots for "coolcation" at the moment? Scotland - it's hard to believe that you can surf on the Scottish coast. The beaches of Thurso and Belhaven Bay in particular are said to be famous for their impressive waves.

Scandinavia is also very popular, followed by Canada, Iceland, Estonia, Switzerland, the Arctic, Antarctica and - yes - even Austria.

The Alpine republic would certainly have a lot to offer. And it would be ready for more summer visitors. To achieve this, we would have to ensure that our natural and cultural landscape is used respectfully.

Our Alps as an alternative destination
Tourism experts see a shift to more northerly destinations. Austria's hoteliers are not dissatisfied with the current summer season - and they are also optimistic about September. At least as far as bookings are concerned.

And the weather situation plays a key role in this: "We are noticing that guests are actually becoming more sensitive to the weather at their vacation destination," explains State Secretary for Tourism Susanne Kraus-Winkler. This is also changing travel habits overall: The weather situation is one reason for the short-term nature of bookings. However, this poses challenges for the industry in terms of staff planning and food purchasing.

However, the domestic tourism industry could also benefit from the new climatic conditions in the future. "Studies by the Hotel Association and Österreich Werbung are forecasting an increase in demand for cooler destinations and predict a shift towards more northerly regions in Europe," said the State Secretary.