Aumento de las temperaturas globales y turismo: Descifrando la tendencia de las «vacaciones frescas» en destinos nórdicos

Jorge Rivera García; Asunción Fernández-Villarán Ara; Ricardo Pastor Ruiz

doi:10.25145/j.pasos.2026.24.008

Authors

Jorge Rivera García Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. UOC https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1868-647X
Asunción Fernández-Villarán Ara Universidad de Deusto https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2647-8526
Ricardo Pastor Ruiz Universidad Internacional de La Rioja. UNIR https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9302-7792

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25145/j.pasos.2026.24.008

Keywords:

Coolcation, DMO, Rising global temperatures, Nordic destinations, Making sense framework

Abstract

Climate significantly impacts tourism, influencing destination choices and activities. As global temperatures rise, cooler climates are becoming attractive alternatives, leading to the 'coolcation' trend, which addresses climate change challenges. The aim is to explore and define the new term 'coolcation', while identifying its characteristics, implications, and its potential impact on the tourism industry, through a qualitative research design. This study explores how Destination marketing organizations (DMO) from various different Nordic destinations make sense of the concept of “coolcation”. The primary data collection method will consist on semi-structured interviews with representatives from Destination Management Organizations (DMO) of Nordic destinations. The rise of “coolcations” presents both opportunities and challenges. It opens new pathways for tourism in colder climates, potentially boosting local economies. On the other hand, it may also cause excess pressure on local infrastructures and natural resources. For this reason, the DMOs agree that is crucial to promote responsible tourism practices to ensure the sustainability of these destinations.

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Editor & editorial board: profiles
Academic society: PASOS. Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural
Publisher: Instituto Universitario de Investigación Social y Turismo. Universidad de La Laguna (España) - Instituto Universitario da Maia ISMAI (Portugal)

Author Biographies

Jorge Rivera García, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. UOC

Jordi Rivera García is a PhD candidate in Tourism at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), holding a Master's degree in Sustainable Tourism and ICT, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Diploma in Tourism from the University of Girona. His professional career has been closely tied to tourism intermediation in various types of agencies, ranging from the MICE segment to vacation travel. After spending 17 years at Catai Tours, Spain's leading tour operator for long-haul trips, where he served as Director of the Mid-Distance Department, he has embarked on a new and ambitious project in the past year, aimed at bridging the gap between tourism intermediation and sustainability in the market. With more than 25 years of professional experience, he frequently participates in conferences, trade fairs, and workshops around the world. He is currently the Product and Sustainability Director at ICARION, a long-haul travel wholesaler under the W2M group.

Asunción Fernández-Villarán Ara, Universidad de Deusto

Asunción Fernández-Villarán Ara holds a degree in Economics and Business and a PhD in Economics and Business (Advanced Management) from the University of Deusto. She is currently an associate professor at the University of Deusto, where she teaches at the Bilbao campus. Her teaching focuses on the Bachelor's Degree in Tourism and the Bachelor's Degree in Modern Languages and Management. Specifically, she teaches the following subjects: Economics and Business Organization, Digital Tourism Marketing, and Accounting Analysis. In recent years, she has been working in business and tourism destination management and organization, tourism intermediation, accessible tourism, and tourism innovation.

Ricardo Pastor Ruiz, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja. UNIR

Ricardo Pastor holds a PhD in Tourism from the International Doctoral School of the Rey Juan Carlos University, which is part of the Intur Network, and is accredited by ANECA as an Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Private University Professor. He was a professor in the Tourism Degree program at the University of Deusto from 2007 to 2020, as well as at Antonio de Nebrija University and the European University of the Canary Islands. He currently teaches in the Master's Degree in Teacher Training, the Master's Degree in University Teaching at the International University of La Rioja (UNIR), and the Master's Degree in Tourism Innovation. He also supervises master's theses (TFM) and serves on thesis defense committees. He has participated in conferences and published various books and articles related to tourism intermediation, sustainability, rural tourism, and more. Since 1996, he has collaborated with travel agencies and tour operators, having worked for some of the most prestigious brands in the sector.

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