SIUUU! Southern Europe Losing Its Crown? Ronaldo Reacts to Coolcation Craze!

Is Summer in Southern Europe Finished?

Hello it's me Cristiano Ronaldo! You know the guy who always finds the net… and apparently now I'm scoring insights on travel trends! I've heard you're ditching the beaches of Italy and Spain for… Iceland? Estonia? Seriously? Are you crazy? But hey everyone has their preferences I still prefer a good stadium with 80,000 fans screaming my name! It appears the 'coolcation' is becoming the new 'it' thing. People are swapping scorching heat for… well slightly less scorching heat. As Intrepid Travel CEO James Thornton said everyone was dying to get back to Italy Greece and Spain after the pandemic but it got too crowded and too expensive. The man has a point you know. No space for me on the beach? That's a red card situation!

Blame the Heat Not My Abs!

The big villain? Climate change. Extreme heat is turning the Mediterranean into well an actual frying pan. And overcrowding? Don’t get me started. I need my space people! It seems these problems may be the solution that helps improve travel in Europe. You know I always say 'Your love makes me strong. Your hate makes me unstoppable.' Maybe the hate for this crazy weather is finally driving change… and people north! Thornton said demand has reversed for peak of summer travels to cooler northern countries. You learn something new everyday.

50% More People are Choosing Cold Over my Hotness? What?

Apparently bookings to Iceland Estonia and Scandinavia are up by 50% for UK customers. While I’m used to seeing numbers go up when it comes to my goals and social media followers this is… unexpected. Meanwhile southern Europe bookings have shifted to the 'shoulder seasons.' Smart move I must admit. More time to see the sites without a million other tourists in your way… and without melting into a puddle of sweat. Bookings to Italy in April through June and September October jumped 16% while Greece bookings over the same respective periods rose by 37%. Seems people are shifting dates instead!

Baby Boomers and First Timers: The Coolcation Revolutionaries

Who’s leading this frosty revolution? Baby boomers (mortgages paid off kids out of the house) and first time travelers (prioritizing experiences over possessions). I get it. Experiences are important. Like scoring a hat trick in El Clásico. But you know a nice yacht is good too. This is also great for the north countries as well. More tourist = More revenue. And more people to cheer me on when I eventually grace their stadiums with my presence!

Rome Barcelona Athens... Out!?

Poor Rome Barcelona and Athens. Once the kings of summer now they're just… hot. Europe had its hottest summer ever and campaigners are warning things will get worse. Even I with my meticulously maintained physique struggle in that heat. Nobody wants a sweaty Ronaldo selfie trust me. Jenny Southan CEO of Globetrender said the trend will continue to intensify as climate change worsen. This could mean great opportunity for countries to attract more travelers.

Coolcation's Winners and Losers

So who wins? Northern European countries like Sweden and Estonia obviously. They’re basically winning the travel Champions League right now. Estonia Tourist Board says they welcome the desire to pursue cooler climates. However countries that rely on that seasonal summer heat will have to figure out how to attract year round tourists. As Southan said this is a chance for economies to rebalance so that they aren't working non stop for four months. This sounds like a headache if you ask me! But who am I to give advice? I only score goals. And look incredibly handsome while doing it of course!