While the south is experiencing very high temperatures, the thermometer gives a respite in countries such as Denmark, an emerging tourist destination.
With the rising temperatures in southern Europemore and more tourists are flocking to cool destinations in the north of the continent. DenmarkSpecifically, it has become an option increasingly popular for those looking to escape the scorching summer heat.
According to the report recently published by the DMI, the Danish Meteorological Institutethe national average temperature in July 2024 will be 16.2C. For much of southern Europe, the recorded temperatures are well above that figure.
Italia It has been enduring almost constant heat waves since mid-June, and record temperatures above 40ºC have been recorded in some parts of the country. The same thing happens in Spain with record temperatures.
Southern Europe flocks to the north
Among the bustling crowds of Copenhagen’s iconic Nyhavn, it’s not uncommon to hear tourists talking French, Spanish and Italianas visitors from southern Europe flock to this cooler-climate city.
Sagrario, a regular resident of Madrid, has decided to go to Denmark this summer on a cruise through Scandinavia with his daughter. “In Madrid we have three weeks in a row of heat wavewith temperatures minimums of 30ºC and maximums of 40ºC“explains Sofía, Sagrario’s daughter.
Copenhagen’s hospitality sector, which traditionally caters to tourists from northern Europe and USAhas noticed a significant increase in visitors from southern Europe.
“Without a doubt we see a great increase in southern European tourism. France, Greece, Spain and Italy“, Karim Nielsen, general director of Kolpin Hotels, told ‘Euronews’. “And we have seen that increase coming over the last 5 or 6 years, but the last two years it has increased a lot.”
“Normally we have 80% of Americansbut that number is declining a bit. Especially in Spain and Italy, approximately 10% of our employment comes from southern Europe. “This is a fairly large increase compared to the formal figures of 3-4%,” added Nielsen, who attributes this increase to guests from southern Europe seeking a cooler climate in the north.
Not limited to the capital
South Zealand, about 80 kilometers from Copenhagen, is an emerging destination for those looking for a cool summer vacation. “The trend of guests from southern Europe coming to Denmark started about three years ago,” explains Filip Rasmussen, propietario de Jungshoved Præstegaarda traditional Danish B&B in Præstø.
“Last year we really saw it. And this year, I would use the word extremely high. And it has gone from maybe 5% to 30%-35% of our guests,” he adds, noting that while a new agreement with an agency French travel agency has contributed to this increase, There has also been a notable increase in visitors from southern Switzerland, Italy and Spain.
Patricia Levantis and Franck Wattinne, residents of Marseille staying at Jungshoved Præstegaard, say they are satisfied with the cool climate of Denmark which allowed them to enjoy outdoor activities. “25ºC during the day And in the afternoon you can wear a sweater or a jacket so we can do very nice things,” Wattinne said.
Bender also noted that while tragic fires in Greece are very sadDenmark is happy to offer a fresh respite to those affected. “We are happy to tell you to come and cool off for a couple of weeks here in the north and discover our beautiful nature and culture,” Bender added.
More than a cool climate
The interested parties of the tourism sector Danish state that the new influx of tourists does not only come from southern Europe, but from other northern areas, such as Netherlands and Belgium.
“It’s not just people from southern Europe. It’s also people who used to travel to the southern part, but now choose the north and discover what we have. In the middle of summer, the nights are much longer. We even call them the white nights,” Rasmussen.
In the middle of summer, during the solstice, the sun doesn’t set until 10:00 p.m. in Denmarkwhich gives visitors almost one more hour of light compared to Italy, for example.
According to data from Visit Denmark, the Official Danish Tourism Organization, the number of Italian and French tourists visiting the capital this June has skyrocketed by 23%, going from about 49,000 in 2019 to almost 60,000 in 2024.
Copenhagen has recently broken records de overnight stays as the city gains popularitya trend explained by Wonderful Copenhagen, the official tourism organization of the Danish capital region.
However, Wonderful Copenhagen states that the tendency to break records can’t be attributed to the cool climate, but to the city’s culture and culinary scene.
