As heat waves hit Europe, so do tourists

Travelers to Europe may have anticipated crowded venues, full hotels and worker strikes, as industry experts have pointed to a return in tourism demand that exceeds even the pre-pandemic levels. But the latest extreme weather has signaled another danger for visitors: summer heat waves, which climatologists predict will become longer, more frequent and more intense in Europe.

Soaring temperatures in recent days have coincided with a popular time to visit Europe, the most popular overseas destination for American travelers this year, according to industry watchers. And while extreme weather has caused travel disruption in the past, especially in countries that weren't equipped to withstand it, the heat can also be deadly: more than 61,000 people have died in the waves. heat wave last summer in Europe, according to a recent study.

During the last heat wave, European officials took measures to try to protect the visitors from extreme weather conditions. After a tourist collapsed outside the Acropolis in Athens, authorities briefly closed the site on Friday and Saturday, citing the heat. And Hellenic Red Cross volunteers handed out free bottled water to visitors to help keep them hydrated.

On Monday, the UK Foreign Office announced updated its travel advice for Greece, Italy and Spain note extreme temperatures and the risk of wildfires, warning UK tourists to keep up to date with local weather updates.

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In Rome, which expected particularly scorching temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday, officials mobilized a task force of workers and volunteers to patrol sites like the Colosseum and outdoor markets to distribute water and identify people suffering from heat stress. Officials in many European countries have warned people to stay indoors during the hottest hours of the day, and measures such as cooling stations have been introduced in many cities popular with tourists.

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Even with large numbers of visitors to Europe this summer, travel advisors say there are signs of changing travel patterns that are likely to become the norm if the heat extreme persists. July and August are usually peak months for travel, but the season has started to span April, May, September and October.

Some travelers also choose to visit more northern European countries, while others plan their itineraries according to the cooler hours of the day.