Scotland Draws Coolcation Tourists as Searches for Cooler Trips Jump 74%

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 20

Tourists from continental Europe, the south of England and elsewhere in the UK are increasingly choosing Scotland to escape record heatwaves, with local operators now actively marketing stays as “coolcations.”
Trip.com said searches for cooler holiday destinations rose 74% from the first four months of 2025, while tourism researchers also reported rising flight searches to Scotland and higher international card spending.
Businesses in Glencoe say the milder climate is becoming a selling point because visitors can sleep comfortably, stay outdoors and avoid the inactivity that comes with temperatures above 30C.
Tourism already contributes about 5% of Scotland’s GDP and supports around 250,000 jobs, though some areas are balancing growth against overtourism concerns such as Edinburgh’s new 5% overnight visitor levy.
Scotland has still seen long-term warming and a major July wildfire in the Cairngorms, but it has so far avoided the sustained extreme heat driving travelers north.