As southern Europe is hit by a heat wave, some tourists are opting for a ‘cooler’ holiday by the North Sea.
Will the North Sea become a paradise for vacationers looking for a cool climate? With the global warmingWill the Belgian coast become the Côte d’Azur of tomorrow?
While some areas of southern Europe are hit by heat wavessome tourists prefer to spend their holidays in July in places where temperatures are around 25 degrees Celsius. This is the case of Knokke-Heist, a popular spa center on the Flemish coast, on the shores of the North Sea.
Go for ‘coolcations’ to escape the heat
There is a name for this phenomenon: ‘coolcations‘. These are holiday destinations chosen for their cooler climate, as an alternative to escape the summer heat.
“Naturally, more and more foreign tourists are coming to our shores. Above all, in the summer months, because in the south, in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Morocco, it is too hot. Here, we always have fresh air, and a pleasant sea breeze like today,” explains Jan Morbee, mayor of Knokke-Heist.
Many of the vacationers who they walk along the pier of the town come from the rest of Belgium and neighboring countries.
“When we think about climate change and the many meteorological phenomena that occur in Greecesometimes we think that We don’t always have to go far to have a good vacation.“says Charlotte, a Belgian holidaymaker from Kortrijk.
“I sincerely believe that our coast has a lot to offer. Here in Knokke-Heist it is very close to the village. There are streets with many shops, where you can go shopping, and you can visit art galleries,” says Eef, a vacationer from Flanders, whom ‘Euronews’ journalists met on the pier of the coastal town.
It is not about turning your back on the Mediterranean sun. Some They will adapt their habitsmoving your holiday south to the months of May or September, and opting for a cooler destination like Knokke-Heist, in July and August.
“The weather isn’t so good here. So, you immediately buy a ticket to go south, because the weather is a little better there than here. The fear that people have, of course, is that sometimes it’s too hot“admits Patrick, a tourist from Bruges.
Global warming and new tourist destinations
The phenomenon of so-called ‘coolcations’ could become more pronounced in the coming decades. Thus, according to Xavier Fettweis, a climatologist at the University of Liège, in a scenario in which Global temperature increases by about 3 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial era, between now and the end of the century, the heat will be unbearable in summer around the Mediterranean, while temperatures will continue to be pleasant in Belgian lands.
“In Belgium, in the interior, the climate will be like that of the Gers. By the end of the century, Liège will have the typical climate of Toulouse, that is, a very pleasant Mediterranean climate. However, the sea water from the English Channel it will take much longer to heat up. So, we will not have warm waters like in the Mediterranean, at 27 or 28 degrees Celsius,” predicts Xavier Fettweis.
However, Belgium, located further north, enjoys less sun than the Mediterranean, which could cast a shadow on its tourism goals. Another challenge is coastal erosion and the sea level risewhich could considerably reshape coastal landscapes.
