Europe may be struggling with heatwaves, while Australians are staying vigilant. The typical Euro summer trip may be changing from what it was previously known to be.
Europe has been sweltering through a brutal early summer heatwave. It may put an emerging Aussie traveller into overdrive.
France recorded its hottest day ever, countrywide, on Tuesday, 23 June ‘26. That was with over 1,000 additional deaths during days of extreme temperatures. The Czech Republic & Poland both recorded their highest temperatures on Sunday, 28 June. In Poland, the high temperature broke the previous high-temperature record held for 105 years. Hungary hit a new temperature record on Monday, 29 June. Germany broke records for three consecutive days.
Spain, Austria, and Switzerland, besides the Netherlands, all recorded new June temperature records during the last week & a half of the month. The UK also reflected a new June record. This was weeks after a new May record was set.
The extreme heat had caused chaos for rail networks. Videos have appeared across social media of locals and expats opting for innovation in staying cool without air conditioning, such as covering windows with aluminium foil.
World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus termed Europe the fastest-warming continent on Earth.
Ghebreyesus further added that driven by climate change besides global warming, the phenomenon of the ‘once-in-a-generation’ heatwave now tends to recur annually. He opined that European homes and workplaces besides schools weren’t designed to withstand such high temperatures.
European summers attract Australian tourists, who are closely monitoring the situation.
Melbourne-born global enterprise Intrepid Travel revealed last year that, for the first time, more customers were choosing to travel to Europe during the shoulder season (April, May, and September) than those travelling during the traditional peak summer season (June, July, and August).
Intrepid Travel Australia & New Zealand managing director Brett Mitchell had told news.com.au that he thought they had 5–10 years before this trend hit the mainstream, although climate change had accelerated everything.
