by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 8:50 AM ET, Mon August 11, 2025
As weather patterns grow increasingly unpredictable, the once-reliable window for seasonal travel is rapidly shifting.
An April–May trek across Nepal, traditionally promoted as the “best time to visit,” proved unexpectedly fraught with haze, pollution, and unseasonal downpours.
The experience perfectly illustrates how “climate change is rewriting the rulebook for trip planning – and travellers need to adapt,” according to BBC reporting.
RELATED: Ottawa Issues Advisory Ahead of Active 2025 Hurricane Season
"The desire to escape is stronger than ever. But safety now tops the list of concerns," according to IPSOS.
Multiple reports suggest tourists are increasingly avoiding peak travel times, instead opting for the cooler—and often cheaper—“shoulder season” months.
Heatwaves exceeding 40 °C and wildfires in destinations like Greece and Turkey have driven this shift. About 9% of Europeans have changed their travel months due to extreme weather, up slightly from the previous year. Bookings for Ibiza are up 30%, and October–November travel is up 20% compared to last year, Financial Times reports.
RELATED: New Report Highlights Ways Destinations Could Solve Overcrowding
Juliana Shrestha, co-founder of a Nepal-based tour operator, told the BBC, "Earlier, when clients asked for a snow trek in December, we could suggest options . . . But now, it's harder to say confidently whether conditions will be right. We just don't know anymore."
In Australia, Intrepid Travel reports that shoulder-season bookings now surpass peak season, with 55% of European travellers choosing to go off-peak. Countries like Portugal are seeing 64% of bookings in shoulder season, while peak-season bookings in Italy have plummeted by 72%.
RELATED: Canadians Rethinking How and Where They Travel
According to experts, travellers should:
- Embrace shoulder season: Cooler, less crowded, and more budget-friendly.
- Pack for uncertainty: Prepare for everything from haze and heavy rain to heatwaves.
- Prioritize transparency from tour operators
- Invest in travel insurance: Policies covering trip delays or cancellations due to extreme weather.
- Stay informed and agile: Follow local updates and expect change.
Topics From This Article to Explore
