A winter season to spread one’s wings

The Nordic countries’ autumn holidays have just ended, and nothing in the level of calls to the travelcare alarm centre suggests fewer skiing holidays or trips to Thailand in the coming months.

“We don’t see any signs of less desire to travel after this summer’s extreme weather. On the contrary, everything indicates we are now back in full flow,” says Karin Tranberg, Executive Vice President at SOS International.

Peak seasons have evened out

Climate change and extreme weather have led to speculation about how they affect travel patterns. And while it does not seem to affect the amount of travelling, SOS International predicts that it will eventually lead to some changes in seasonal patterns:

“In recent years, we’ve seen some ski destinations with no snow at the beginning of the season. In the long term, we may have to be prepared for the seasons to even out or change,” says Karin Tranberg.

When the snow fails to materialise, or the snowline moves, ski tourists want to follow. Similarly, if the extremely high temperatures we saw in Southern Europe this summer become a kind of “new normal”, it is likely that more people will eventually shift the timing of their summer holidays.

“We recognise that the future may involve changing travel patterns, and we’re ready to adapt. When the world changes, we follow suit,” says Karin Tranberg.

SOS International expects a high level of travel activity throughout 2024.