'It's Like Being in an Oven:' How Extreme Heat Is Changing Travel

When Europe experienced one of its hottest heatwaves ever in 2016, Ivan Vukovic, a tour operator in Dubrovnik, thought it was going to be a one off. Turns out it was just the start.

Records have been broken almost every year since. 2024 was the hottest recorded year in Europe, the fastest warming continent – temperatures hit 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Farenheit).

“I just thought 2016 was one of those summers which happens once every 20 years, but then it started to get extremely hot all the time,” Vukovic said. “The heat just lasts longer. We see days and days of temperatures over 30 degrees. That never used to be the case.”

Dubrovnik, famed for its UNESCO listed old town and a key Mediterranean cruise stop, is one of the most visited cities in the world. Like many other businesses in southern Europe, Vukovic has had to change the way he runs things at his company, Dubrovnik Tours.

"The old town reflects all the heat, and it just sits inside the walls because of the massive stone structure. Add in all the kitchens, tourists, and stagnant air, it's like being in an oven," Vukovic added. "We started advising guests to bring umbrellas. Not for rain, but for shade. That’s how intense it’s gotten. We have paramedic stations around the old town in case of heatstroke.”

The peak seasons have shifted too. July and August no longer exist for his tours – it’s just too hot.

“I go on holiday now to cooler climates during those months," he said. “This year I started my tours in mid-March and they run until July. I start again in September and through to November."

Dubrovnik isn’t alone. From the Greek islands to southern Spain, extreme heat is upending local tourism. According to the World Meteorological Organization, 2015 to 2024 are the hottest years on record.

In France and Spain, wildfires have forced evacuations from beach resorts and national parks. The 2023 fires in Rhodes devastated large parts of the Greek island, forcing thousands of tourists to flee.

In 2022, London Luton Airport in the UK was temporarily shut down when extreme temperatures buckled the runway. And when temperatures rise, airplanes require longer take-off distances and weight restrictions. They also need more time and more fuel to take off, because hot