Heat waves in southern Europe this summer were so intense that media there adopted names borrowed from the mythological underworld. Another used the quote “a giant pizza oven” to describe the sweltering region.
In parts of Greece, Spain and Italy this month, the mercury soared as high as 113 degrees, just as thousands of Americans descended on the continent for summer vacation.
Pent-up demand from American travelers for travel to Europe, combined with persistently high temperatures, has created an uncomfortable, exhausting and perhaps even dangerous situation for travelers.
But advisors and tour operators said customers, undeterred, are moving forward with their plans. And they do their best to help them beat the heat. In some cases, counselors work to rearrange schedules or accommodations to keep their clients as cool as possible.
Adam Duckworth
“Europe is our main problem for this sort of thing,” said Adam Duckworth, president and founder of Journey in Fort Lauderdale (#55 on Travel Weekly’s 2023 Power List).
Customers are double-checking that their hotels and rental cars have air conditioning, he said, and some are canceling tours or excursions or asking their advisors to rebook them for later in the day, when the heat is less intense.
Suppliers have shown great flexibility in making such changes given the circumstances, he said.
“Our advisors have done some work to be able to relocate some of our (clients) in this way, but it’s something we exist to do,” Duckworth said.
Vengeful travelers are undeterred
Taunya Altamirano, owner of Live Love Drink Travela Dream Vacations franchise in Phoenix, said customers are largely continuing with their travel plans, especially local customers, for whom an extreme heat wave in Europe could be relatively cooler: The temperature in Phoenix has climbed above 110 degrees for more than 20 consecutive days. .
But they ask for excursions or activities that are sheltered from the sun or offer a chance to cool off. Altamirano has also seen an increase in requests for European river cruises from guests wanting to visit multiple cities with a single air-conditioned base.
Altamirano said customers are sticking to their trips “because we still have this revenge travel situation. They’re just asking for advice on how to stay cool.”
Christy Mahon, Dream Vacations franchise owner Escape Artist Vacations in Branchville, New Jersey, was in Europe during a heat wave last year and is putting that experience to use. She now talks to guests about the heat before booking and warns them about temperatures, crowds and lack of shade, especially at some historic sites in Europe.
“I’ve had more preemptive conversations with people, regardless of age, whether or not they said the heat would be a problem. In some cases, I nip it in the bud,” Mahon said . said, adding that some customers shift their trips to shoulder seasons.
For those traveling this summer, Mahon often contacts them to ask how packing is going and suggest items like umbrellas or portable fans. She said she tries to give them advice “without stirring things up.”
How suppliers are adapting to the heat
On the ground, in hot locations, tour operators and even some cruise lines are making adjustments to keep guests cool.
Operating small ships has given Windstar Cruises great flexibility. Stijn Creuptlandt, the company’s vice president of hotel operations and product development, said Windstar has adjusted its arrival and departure times in the Mediterranean so passengers can visit in the morning or later at night, when ‘it’s cooler.
In Santorini, for example, Windstar added a shore shuttle for guests so they don’t have to walk or wait for the tram or donkeys to transport them in the heat.
Windstar has also adapted its own shore excursions. For example, guests will visit an outdoor monument early while temperatures are cooler, followed by an air-conditioned scenic ride.
Like other travelers in Europe, the line made such changes to adapt when Athens’ main attraction, the Acropolis, began closing in the afternoon after workers at the site said that the heat made conditions dangerous for both workers and visitors.
Michael Thomas, a longtime tour guide for Trafalgar and other TTC tour brands, said the closure has not been an inconvenience because TTC tours visit the Acropolis in the morning.
“If you’re going to a place like the Acropolis in Greece or the Great Pyramids in Egypt, you should always go early in the morning,” Thomas said. “Some of these large ancient sites contain a lot of stone and therefore reflect a lot of heat. If you can pre-order your tickets and gain access with the first ticket of the day, spend an hour or two at the site. Then around 10 a.m.: 30 p.m. when the sun gets warmer, you can go back to your hotel and relax.”
He helps prepare guests by reminding them of the basics: bring a bottle of water and wear long sleeves, hats and sunscreen.
“If I know it’s going to be really hot in town one day, then maybe this afternoon I’ll take them to a mountain, where it’s cooler,” Thomas said, adding that customers can also choose to stay cool in their hotel or at a local cafe during an excursion. “There’s no point in going to see something if everyone is so hot they’re not going to like it.”
Joanne Gardner, vice president of global operations at Tauck, said the company operates fewer departures in July and August because many of its retired clients prefer off-season travel.
“So with fewer trips being made, it’s easier for us to make adjustments more or less on the fly,” she said, such as changing river cruise itineraries so guests spend more time on board when it is hot.
“We have adjusted our river cruises to schedule more onboard learning in the form of lectures, cooking demonstrations and tastings during the hottest parts of the day,” Gardner said.
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Nicole Edenedo, Johanna Jainchill and Andrea Zelinski contributed to this report.
