As an intense heat wave spreads across Europe, travel behavior is shifting rapidly. Tourists are prioritizing refreshing, shaded, or temperature-friendly activities and travel providers with ‘cool’ offerings should act now to meet this spike in demand.
“Tavel providers with ‘cool’ things to do should turn up the heat on viral ads right now in heat wave Europe”, says Dasha Gastol, Sr. Director of Paid Media at Propellic, the destination digital marketing agency for travel & tourism brands.
This is the perfect moment for destinations, attractions, and activity platforms to turn up the heat on their digital marketing efforts. Promoting glacier hikes, air-conditioned museums, underground tours, or evening boat rides can make all the difference for travelers looking to escape the heat.
It’s not just about adjusting your product portfolio; it’s about adapting your marketing strategies in real time climate conditions. Whether you’re a destination marketer in Norway or managing a network of indoor cultural attractions, this is a unique opportunity to stay relevant, boost visibility, and maximize bookings during a crucial season for revenue.
“In a competitive landscape, travel brands that act fast and smart aligning campaign strategy with climate trends will win attention, engagement, and sales”, adds Gastol.
To help experience providers maximize this opportunity, Gastol shares 8 key tactics to beat the head with your paid ads:
1. Trigger campaigns automatically based on temperature: don’t wait for the heat to peak: be ready before it hits. Use tools like Google Ads Scripts, Weather Ads, or Climacell API to automatically launch ads when local temperatures surpass a certain threshold. For example, when it hits 90°F in a target city, activate campaigns for jet ski rentals, hotel stays with poolside perks or “Escape the heat” experience packages.
2. Make creative adapt to the weather in real time: dynamic Creative Optimization lets you tailor ads with weather-appropriate messaging and visuals (imagery like turquoise waters, cocktails on ice, or refreshing A/C comfort).
3. Target the hottest spots on the map: target metro areas experiencing heatwaves (e.g., Barcelona, Paris, London ..) with tailored offers such as local staycations featuring air conditioning and rooftop pools, or day trips to cooler spots like mountains, lakes, or beach towns.
4. Proximity targeting near water: if you offer jet ski rentals or other water-based experiences, focus your targeting on users located near lakes, beaches, or rivers—then serve them eye-catching ads or TikToks: “Too hot to handle? Cool down with a jet ski – just 15 minutes from downtown!”
5. Smart bidding based on weather trends: adjust bids automatically with weather conditions to maximize ROI:
• Increase CPC bids by 15–25% when forecast exceeds a threshold (e.g., 90°F)
• Bid down during cool or rainy days for seasonal offerings
6. Micro-Window campaigns: use short-burst, high-budget campaigns during forecasted heatwaves (3–5 days) to capture peak demand:
• Focus on urgency: “Cool off this weekend – Book now!”
• Combine with limited-time offers or heatwave discounts
7. Heatwave messaging hooks: craft ad copy that speaks directly to overheated travelers with playful, heat-driven urgency:
• “Don’t sweat it — we’ve got air conditioning and an ocean breeze”
• “Beat the heat with a private pool + sunset margaritas”
• “It’s 100 degrees out — jet skis are your only option”
8.Use weather in Ad copy or extensions: make your ads relevant by referencing real-time temperatures and local conditions:
• “ 102°F in Dallas? Our lake cabins have A/C and paddleboards”
• “Book now – heatwave relief included ”
In light of this, Dasha Gastol urges travel companies to act quickly, align their offers with today’s traveler needs, and turn this heat wave into a hot opportunity.
