Now, Greece, Spain, Portugal And Italy Join France, Turkey, Croatia, Greece, Germany, Malta, Austria, Facing Severe Tour Cancellations Due to Climate Change and Extreme Weather Conditions: Here’s All Travelers Must Know

Europe is facing new challenges in climate and is increasingly being hit by them in the tourism sector. One of the Australia’s largest tour companies, We have reluctantly made the very hard decision to cancel some of our tours to the Iberian Peninsula involving some of Spain and Portgual’s popular locations for July and August 2025. The move comes after a spike in extreme weather events, from heat and wildfires to constant heat advisories, that have made many of the continent’s most beloved locales unsafe to people traveling there.

This is something of a canary in the coalmine not just for tourism, but for global disruptions connected to climate change. As well as extreme temperature, the region has seen more frequent wildfires, not just risking lives but forcing the closure of some of its biggest draw cards for visitors – hiking trails, cycling routes, heritage sites – and those closures also happen to be what underpins the kind of trips Intrepid Travel thinks more people should take. These drastic changes in planning and logistics have trickled down to even those travelers, tour operators and the entire travel industry.

The Climate Crisis Is Leaving Its Mark on European Travel

For years, Europe’s summers have been synonymous with balmier weather, transforming the continent into one of the globe’s most renowned travel destinations. But in recent years, the weather has changed dramatically, soaring temperatures and more frequent heatwaves have become the norm. These weather conditions, coupled with increasingly frequent mega wildfires, are making it a dangerous place to visit tourist hotspots such as Spain, Portugal and Greece with their beautiful scenery and rich history. (14) For the hottest summer months, which used to conjure visions of languid Mediterranean pleasure, we’re instead looking at heat advisories, the danger of outdoor activities and warnings of tourist spots famed for shutting down because of fire risk?

“With our move to avoid certain destinations in countries on our various operating continents, we have made a decision that is not just reactive to the issue but part of a greater story as to how we view many itineraries on the three operating continents, Europe in this case,” the company’s Australia and New Zealand managing director, Brett Mitchell, said in a statement. More than half of the company’s Europe-bound travellers are now choosing to travel outside of the peak June-August period, Mitchell said, with tourists seeming more attuned to both the dangers of high summer temperatures and climate-related disruption. Mitchell also emphasised that he had expected this move to have happened over a longer time frame, in five-to-ten years, before factors like these would infiltrate mainstream travel. But climate change proper has caused this change to occur much sooner than anticipated.

The on-going climate emergency has led to 34 climate-related impacts to Intrepid’s 2024 trips so far, with this extreme situation apparently no longer a case of one-off events but a known and ongoing issue that is shaping travel plans and operations. With extreme weather altering landscapes across Europe, travelers are faced with the question of how to adapt their itineraries — and to where they can travel that’s safer, and more resilient, to climate change.

Wildfires and Heatwaves: This Is the New Reality of European Summers

Among the prime culprits behind the instability in Southern Europe is the devastating forest fires which have swept through Greece, Spain and Portugal to unprecedented levels. In Greece, the nation experienced its longest heatwave ever in 2024 leading authorities to take extreme steps to protect the health of the people, as well as to secure the well-being of those visiting the country. A major initiative in this process was the appointment of a Chief Heat Officer (a role that does not exist in any other country), who would oversee the country’s response to the summer heat and reduce risks to the population.

The impact of these wildfires has reached well beyond the immediate threat to human life. Wildfires, plus record-breaking temperatures, have shut down major cultural landmarks and outdoor destinations that have long been staples of European tourism. In Athens, meanwhile, the iconic Parthenon became a refuge for tourists seeking cool shade from the sun above amid lingering fears that the region could once more catch fire. And at over 40 C-the departure for hikes, bike trips and expeditions of ancient sites have been classified as too risky for travelers, meaning many tour companies have had to cancel or rebook such trips.

Additionally, Spain and Portugal, with their beautiful beaches, rich history, and lively culture scenes, are not immune to the worsening impacts of climate change either. Both countries have experienced an increase in wildfires that have devastated wide swaths of natural terrain, including national parks and popular hiking areas. These reasons, along with safety concerns, have turned places such as the Iberian Peninsula into less attractive destinations for adventure tourist or active tourism participants.

Tourism at Large on the Move

The ripple effects of such extreme weather also extend beyond the cancellations of individual trips. The entire tourism industry is rapidly adjusting to a new state of play where the summer months in Europe simply cannot deliver the same experiences, predictability and just plane common sense that holiday makers once took for granted. But tour operators — including Intrepid Travel — are already overhauling their European itineraries to make them more climateproof, which could mean rethinking destinations, travel timing and options for outdoor activities.

And that shift is likely to have impact up and down the tourism sector, particularly in countries like Greece, Spain and Portugal, where summer tourism is a backbone of the economy. As travelers become more sensitive to the safety of their vacations, there’s good reason to believe there will be increased demand for destinations that can withstand the ravages of climate change and provide safer, more sustainable ways to travel. With increasing awareness among travellers regarding environmental footprint, the tourism industry is under increasing pressure to come up with innovative solutions to address the threat posed by climate change.

Meanwhile, the impact of climate-related disruptions is a factor in the wider hospitality industry. Hotels, restaurants and transportation companies in affected municipalities are also scrambling as fewer visitors enter at the height of the tourist season, and those who come may demand more flexible climate-friendly travel alternatives. The diminishing numbers of tourists would also likely result in substantial economic losses, particularly in areas that depend heavily on tourist dollars as a source of seasonal income.

Here’s what to know if you’re traveling in Europe: What does travel in Europe look like this summer?

With the tourism industry being confronted by these issues, I expect we’re going to be seeing more and climate-resilient travel will become increasingly prevalent. Even if there are some bumps along the road, the broad answer is to develop a tourism sector that is more climate-resilient in the long run. This can include more investment in sustainable tourism infrastructure, encouraging travel in off-peak months and helping develop destinations that are less prone to extreme weather events.

And, while climate concerns loom over the travel industry, so too does consumer demand as travel will be regarded by an industry and consumers dealing with the effects of climate change. Travelers will have to make more of an effort to find and choose sustainable destinations, and put more thought into the long-term environmental consequences of how they choose to get there. In this way, it is possible for them to alleviate the pressure that climate change is having on the tourism sector while ensuring the conservation of Europe’s cultural and natural heritage.

Sources: European Environment Agency, World Tourism Organization.

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