Heatwaves aren't just changing vacations. They're already reshaping our industry.

As of July 1, 2026, tap water is restricted in 84 of France’s 96 mainland departments. Spring 2026 was the hottest ever recorded in France (+1.7°C above normal), followed by a record-breaking heatwave in June. (Source: VigiEau / Météo-France, via service-public.gouv.fr, July 2026)

This is no longer a projection for 2050. It’s the current season.

For a long time, peak season was a given: the sun arrives, bookings follow. Today, summer still means activity but it’s also becoming a revealer of structural transformation: repeated heatwaves, higher energy costs, strained water resources, shifting traveler expectations.

Travelers are changing. So are their expectations.

Comfort, price, and location remain the deciding factors. But a new parameter is emerging: the ability of a stay to hold up against climate conditions.

According to Booking.com’s latest Travel & Sustainability Report (April 2026, 32,500 travelers surveyed across 35 markets), 74% of travelers now say they factor extreme weather into their choice of destination and travel dates. On the professional side, 24% of Booking partner hosts report having already experienced an operational disruption linked to an extreme climate event in 2025.

This goes beyond travelers’ environmental awareness. It directly impacts operators’ operational resilience.

Sustainability becomes a management issue, not a posture.

Electricity has risen 55% in 13 years in France (CRE, 2012-2025 data). Groundwater levels are trending downward in 77% of cases by mid-2026 (BRGM). In this context, optimizing a property’s consumption is no longer an isolated eco-friendly gesture: it’s a management decision that directly affects owner profitability and guest satisfaction.

What’s visible, and what really counts.

Recycling bins in the welcome pack or a reusable water bottle at check-in are visible gestures, but secondary. What determines whether a guest stays or cancels during a red alert heatwave is the property’s ability to keep cool and the responsiveness of the host.

Property managers generally don’t control structural upgrades: insulation, air conditioning — these investments are the owner’s decision. But their role is changing and it’s crucial: staying informed, advising owners on genuinely effective investment priorities, training teams to anticipate a property’s weak points before guests discover them mid-stay.

This upskilling on climate issues, the advisory and awareness-raising responsibility, represents for industry professionals a commitment that goes beyond regulatory compliance: it’s a professional obligation to the owners they serve and the guests they welcome.

The experience starts before arrival, and continues throughout the stay.

The journey is the first touchpoint with the stay’s footprint: recommending the train when relevant, pointing out public transport or soft mobility options available locally. Highlighting local shops and producers — already common practice among many managers — deserves to be explicitly promoted rather than treated as a mere added bonus.

Building more resilient businesses.

For a long time, a manager’s success was measured primarily by occupancy rate. In the future, it will also be measured by their ability to combine quality of service, owner advisory, and climate risk anticipation. Businesses that integrate these challenges today will be better prepared for market shifts, traveler expectations, and upcoming regulatory requirements.

In conclusion

Climate change is transforming the industry’s operating conditions, but it’s also redefining traveler and owner expectations. For short-term rental professionals, the question is no longer whether to act, but how to turn this shift into a lasting advantage.

For the Scale France team, these topics will shape the industry’s coming years. Building a high-performing business also means building a business built to last.

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Sources

• Booking.com – Travel & Sustainability Report 2026
• Copernicus Climate Change Service – European State of the Climate 2024
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO) – European State of the Climate 2024
• ADEME – Resources on energy efficiency and sustainable tourism
• Envirorental – Resources on sustainable practices in short-term rentals
• RentalReady – Ecolabel for short-term rentals: 5 good reasons to get involved