Climate change is changing the holiday map of Europe, with the UK and countries such as Belgium and Poland expected to see a surge in visitors
Fancy a holiday on the Baltic Sea instead of the Mediterranean? The last time I dipped my toes in these waters was on the picturesque Hel Peninsula in 2005 â a refreshing but chilly experience.
But as scorching temperatures become the norm in southern Europe, the boss of one of Europe’s biggest travel agents predicts places such as Poland and Belgium will become the new top choices. Sebastian Ebel, the chief executive of Tui, said climate change could force families to seek new destinations abroad, with the firm planning to invest in more package holidays in northern Europe.
He also believes that the peak holiday season will start earlier and finish later, with more people choosing to go away in the spring and autumn. Europe warming could also change the face of UK tourism â bringing in millions more visitors.
Every summer, 120 million people from northern Europe visit the Mediterranean â the largest international flow of tourists on the globe. By 2050 many of those tourists are expected to come to the UK, while British tourists are predicted to have more staycations. But will we be able to cope with such an influx? Our creaking rail infrastructure and sewage system is nearly 200 years old and there is just one main road and one rail line in and out of Cornwall.