Destinations

As global heatwaves push summer travellers to reconsider their go-to getaways, coolcations are on the rise. Choosing milder destinations over blazing heat, more travellers are seeking out temperate escapes, with the Nordics fast emerging as a frontrunner for summer 2025.

There is so much going in Switzerland this summer that a recent annual briefing from Switzerland Tourism stretched to 33 pages. From annual festival favourites to milestone anniversaries, and hotel happenings and touring tidbits to cultural can’t-misses, there’s literally something for everyone. But we don’t have the space, nor you the time, to list them all – myswitzerland.com does that – so we’ve settled on 10 items of interest guaranteed to make your clients yodel. 

Turkey has begun a new phase in sweeping restorations of the nearly 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, focusing on preserving the monument’s historic domes from the threat of earthquakes. Officials say the project will include reinforcing Hagia Sophia’s main dome and half domes, but will remain accessible to visitors during the work.

Venice began charging day-trippers to the famed canal city an arrivals tax for the second year on the weekend, a measure to combat the overtourism that officials say is putting the city’s UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status at risk. But opponents of the day-tripper fee say it has done nothing to discourage visits. Here’s a look at Venice’s battle with overtourism by the numbers.

Venice has confirmed it will host the wedding of multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos and fiancée Lauren Sanchez but denies reports the Italian city will be invaded by hundreds of celebrities causing disruptions for citizens and tourists. No date has been given for the event, however Italian media have reported it will be between June 24-26, with a few days of celebrations.

While Greenland is experiencing a surge in global interest – no doubt due to the prominent takeover ambitions of Donald Trump – the real transformation of the northern destination is happening through tourism, claims Intrepid Travel, which says it has seen enquiries about the autonomous territory of Denmark jump 94% in recent weeks.

Nestled among tulip fields not far from Amsterdam, the world-famous Keukenhof garden has opened for the spring, welcoming camera-wielding visitors to its increasingly selfie-friendly grounds. On a sunny day, the paths, park benches and cafés are crowded with tourists taking photos and selfies with one of the Netherlands’ most iconic products – the tulip.