Heatwave Spurs Shift to Cooler Vacations and Car Rentals

Travel portal www.weit-weg.de reports a growing preference among European tourists for "coolcations"—holiday destinations with milder summer temperatures. Popular choices include Canada’s national parks, New Zealand’s winter season, Patagonia in Chile and Argentina, South Africa’s dry winter, and Japan’s Hokkaido island. The trend reflects a desire to avoid extreme heat while enjoying outdoor activities and nature.

A rental‑car market analysis by Sunny Cars shows a rise in last‑minute bookings for Mediterranean trips in July 2026, with 46 % of reservations made less than 30 days before departure. Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal remain the top destinations, while demand for rentals in the United States grew by 25 % year‑on‑year, and the United Kingdom and Canada saw increases of 30 % and 44 % respectively. Rental prices stayed slightly above the previous year’s levels.