soldestinasjoner

Soldestinasjoner is a term used in Nordic and European tourism discourse to describe a class of travel destinations characterized by abundant sunshine and warm climates. The word blends sol (sun) with destinasjoner (destinations), and the concept is used to highlight places that attract visitors seeking reliable sunny weather, long daylight hours, and seasonal heat.

Definition and scope

In practice, soldestinasjoner refers to coastal resorts and arid or subtropical regions known for high insolation and favorable travel seasons. The designation is often applied in marketing, destination planning, and health- and wellness tourism, where climate and sunshine are framed as core attractions. Criteria can vary, but common markers include annual sunshine hours, average temperatures, and precipitation patterns.

Geography and examples

Destinations frequently cited as soldestinasjoner lie in Mediterranean-adjacent regions, the Canary Islands, parts of southern Europe, the Middle East, and certain tropical or subtropical areas. Well-known examples often referenced in marketing and tourism studies include the Canary Islands, the Algarve, the Costa del Sol, Cyprus, southern Greece, and select destinations in Australia and the Caribbean. The term is not uniformly standardized and is more common in regional tourism literature than in formal climatology.

Uses and considerations

As a planning concept, soldestinasjoner informs marketing strategies, seasonal forecasting, and sustainability efforts. Critics note potential downsides, such as overtourism, water resource pressures, and the exposure of climate-dependent destinations to weather variability and climate change.

See also: sunshine tourism, sunny climate, sustainable tourism, climate resilience, sunbelt.