Ivan Vukovic from Dubrovnik thought that the 2016 heatwave in Europe would be an anomaly. It turned out to be just the beginning.
Since then, records have been broken nearly every year. 2024 was the hottest recorded year in Europe, the fastest warming continent – temperatures hit 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Farenheit).
Vukovic explained, “I was thinking that 2016 would be one of the summers where it happens every 20 years. Then everything started to heat up all the time.” The heat is just lasting longer. Days and days are spent with temperatures above 30 degrees. It was never like this before.
Dubrovnik is a world-famous city, famous for its UNESCO-listed old town, and as a major Mediterranean cruise stop. Vukovic, like many businesses in southern Europe has been forced to change how he runs his business, Dubrovnik Tours.
The massive stone structure of the old town is a reflection of all the heat. Vukovic continued, “Add all the kitchens, tourists and stagnant atmosphere, it’s as if you were in an oven.” “We began advising our guests to carry umbrellas. It’s not for rain but for shade. It’s been so hot. In case of heatstroke, we have paramedic stations located around the Old Town.
The peak seasons too have changed. July and August no longer exist for his tours – it’s just too hot.
He said, “I now go on holidays to cooler climates in those months.” This year, I began my tours at the end of March and they continue until July. “I start my tours again in September, and they run through November.”
Global Heat Problem
Temperatures are increasing across the globe.
Dubrovnik isn’t alone. Extreme heat is disrupting local tourism in Greece, southern Spain and other places. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2015-2024 will be the hottest years ever recorded.
Wildfires forced the evacuation of national parks and beach resorts in France. The 2023 fires on Rhodes forced thousands of tourists to leave the Greek island.
London Luton Airport, UK, was forced to temporarily close in 2022 when extreme temperatures buckled its runway. When temperatures increase, planes need to take off further and with more weight. Because of the heat, they also require more fuel as well as more time to takeoff.
