Extreme Heat Shifts British Tourist Preferences to Cooler Destinations
British tourists are increasingly opting for cooler destinations due to extreme heat in traditional Mediterranean holiday spots. Data from Staysure, a UK travel insurance provider, shows a 24% rise in travel insurance policy sales for trips to Norway and an 18% increase for Iceland in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. A survey of 2,000 UK travelers revealed that 58% are likely to choose cooler destinations to avoid extreme heat, with 43% stating that heat has already influenced their holiday planning. The trend is supported by Kayak data, which shows a significant rise in flight searches to cooler destinations like Ottawa, Canada, and Salzburg, Austria. 
