We saw it in the winter of 2022 and we’re seeing it again this year: the flood of European summer posts on Instagram.
While many of us live vicariously through the story updates of friends travelling from country to country – waiting for the day we might be able to do a Euro trip ourselves – if you switch over to TikTok you might find a very different kind of European summer, one of heatwaves and scams.
Europe has been facing major heatwaves over the last month due to climate change, and we’re seeing the crisis first-hand on social media. On top of that, TikTok is riddled with videos drawing attention to scammers. Is the Euro summer holiday having an identity crisis? And how will our travel to the continent change over the coming years as we see the reality shared candidly online?
Pickpockets and scammers dampening the summer
TikTok account Cittadini Non Distratti (translating to “undistracted citizens”) has gone viral for the “attenzione pickpocket!” videos that call out pickpockets around Italy.
Michelle Nguyen, from Sydney, was travelling in Florence, Italy with a friend when a scammer offered to take photos for them.
Michelle (left) and her friend, moments before they were approached by a scammer. Source: Supplied
He approached me and got up in my face, and very politely I said ‘no thank you’, and he proceeded to spit on my face.
Michelle Nguyen
Ravindya Sirimanne, from Sydney, has been staying in the UK and visiting different European countries on the weekends.
“My friend got her phone swiped out of her hand when she was walking with it by her side in the UK by a man on a bike,” Sirimanne said.
So are scams, pickpocketings and bag-snatching incidents on the rise, or are they simply attracting a lot of attention on social media?
From scammers to pickpockets and bag-snatchers, is theft a growing problem in Europe?
Thousands of videos on TikTok showing scammers and pickpockets could give the impression that the issue is increasing.
A British insurance comparison company, Quotezone, released their European Pickpocketing Index earlier this year. Travel insurance comparison experts looked at mentions of pickpockets in reviews for key tourist attractions across Europe.
It’s worth pointing out this company receives referral fees from insurance companies when consumers purchase products like travel insurance.
The index highlights Italy with the highest pickpocket rates, at 463 mentions per one million visitors. This was closely followed by France, with 283 mentions per one million visitors.
The European Pickpocketing Index, showing the countries in Europe with the most pickpocketing mentions. Credit: Quotezone
However, the Italian Institute of Statistics revealed an overall decline in pickpocketing and bag-snatching thefts from 2017 to 2019. The data shows a dip in 2020 due to the pandemic, with a small incline in 2021.
Pickpocketing and bag-snatching numbers in Italy.
Overall rate of thefts in Italy.
Instagram versus reality
On top of theft and concerns about scammers, the climate crisis has meant this year’s European summer is experiencing more than just a heatwave.
Kayley Melham was travelling in Croatia and Greece with a friend in July.
Kayley travelled from Croatia to Corfu. Source: Supplied
She was visiting Corfu, an island in Greece, where July saw an average temperature of 33C and an average heat index (which is what the temperature feels like with humidity) of 35C.
“We heard beautiful things but it was kind of an Instagram versus reality situation. All the beaches were far away and Ubers aren’t popular on the island,” Melham told The Feed.
“It’s also been over 35 degrees so unless you’re in the water it’s way too hot to be outside.”
Europe saw record heatwaves over summer, making a challenging time for both tourists and residents. Source: AFP / TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images
What impact is climate change having on the European getaway?
Professor James Higham from Griffith University is a researcher in tourism and environmental change.
“It’s estimated that 90 per cent or more of the entire global human population has never been in an aeroplane before. And 50 per cent of gross aviation emissions globally [are] produced by only 1 per cent of the human population, the very rich, the affluent,” Higham said.
For many, the European summer entails travelling between countries, often staying in each location for no longer than a week. However, the energy and fuel needed to fly between these destinations creates more carbon emissions.
“What we have is a tourism system that has evolved. It’s very dependent on high-carbon transportation modes … producing high carbon emissions per passenger per kilometre,” Higham said.
“Many tourism organisations are still very focused on growth and … with that, comes increased carbon emissions per dollar of tourist spending, because people travel further faster, more frequently, typically for less time.”
With these rising temperatures, heatwaves across Europe might cause a change to tourism patterns in the near future.
“There is already evidence of shifting behaviours amongst some tourists,” Higham said.
“Rather than going in June, July – when these places are literally burning – we can see people travelling in shoulder seasons or even off-seasons to avoid unbearable, and, frankly, life-threatening heat.”
In July this year, Rome saw a high temperature of 41.8C, compared to the 36C high in July 2013. Similarly, July 2013 in Athens reached a high of 38C, whereas July this year hit 44C.
Saki Nakayama, from Tokyo, has been travelling Europe with her friends, and experienced some of Italy’s heatwaves.
Saki experienced extreme heatwaves while travelling around Europe. Source: Supplied
“The hottest temperature was 40 degrees when we were in Rome, and that was our main day to explore the city and visit famous spots … we were walking around but it just got way too hot so we went and sat in Starbucks,” Nakayama told The Feed.
Sirimanne said, “The Europe heatwave was something else in Italy.”
Melham was in Corfu, Greece, when the fires broke out.
When we looked out the window of our Airbnb we could see the fire on the mountains in the distance.
Kayley Melham
“[It was] definitely a full panic,” Melham said.
Higham told The Feed: “I had heard about the extraordinary high temperatures in recent days and weeks in North Africa and Southern Europe.
“To be honest, sadly I wasn’t too surprised.”
The idea of a European summer is curated on social media to share the memories and experiences of a trip.
“We see the same with tourism destination marketing and airline marketing that effectively sell places and experiences,” Higham said.
While Europe definitely has a lot to offer for visitors, from tourist attractions to historical sites and natural features, there is a lot to consider beyond the photos of stunning beaches and canals.
“Europe is highly romanticised. Some places are absolutely stunning but you also have to be realistic,” Nguyen said.
After all, no holiday is ever quite what you expect.
