Iceland may be attracting tourists seeking relief from heatwaves abroad. But the country’s tourism authorities say they have no plans to formally promote it as a “coolcation” destination.
The term coolcation describes the trend of holidaying in cooler climates as a respite from rising global temperatures.
The term itself has seen a sharp rise in interest. RÚV reports that Google searches for the word have increased sixfold in 2025 alone.
But Oddný Arnarsdóttir, tourism director at Íslandsstofa (Business Iceland), says the trend hasn’t influenced their strategy, at least.
“We do not have a specific Coolcation plan,” she explained. “Our focus is on getting tourists to Iceland all year round.”
Although there has been a notable rise in visitors from Southern Europe, Oddný attributes this mostly to increased flight connections rather than a targeted interest in lower temperatures.
The concept, she added, is still too new to measure in terms of impact.
