2024 might be the flashiest European summer yet, but it’s also the most problematic

By Charlie Sawyer

Published Jun 29, 2024 at 09:00 AM

Reading time: 2 minutes

59259

Romanticising travel, tourism-phobia, influencer vacations—these are all terms we’ve come across on TikTok at one point or another. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a holiday. But I also think it’s fair to say that the European summer or #Eurosummer trend has been pushed to such an extreme that not only are we practically punishing ourselves if we don’t have a four-week trip to Ibiza planned, but we’re also losing sight of the fact that perhaps the algorithm’s most prevalent purpose should be focusing on the many parts of the world that are currently facing catastrophic humanitarian disasters.

Whenever summer rolls around, people take to social media to share videos of their vacations. And while Dubai may have dominated the summer of 2018, Europe is officially the in spot right now. Places like Lisbon, Mallorca, Venice, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and the Amalfi Coast are overflowing with tourists. And while, once again, I have no qualms with the trips themselves (I personally would up sticks and move to the Italian coast right now if I could), it’s the narrative and rhetoric that come along with them that we need to address.

The idea of a Euro summer is vast—it’s island hopping, it’s going from one beach to another and staying at the most beautiful hotels, it’s eating gelato across the span of three different countries. In short, it’s unrealistic.

@adriana_maria__

Europe has so many places to visit! Which is your favourite country and location to visit during Summer in Europe? #europetravel #eurosummer #europeansummer #italytravel #greeksummer #italiansummer

♬ original sound - HUGEL
@travelexplorher

The Ultimate European Summer! 🌍🏖️ Here are 10 destinations to put on your list: 1️⃣ Amalfi Coast, Italy 🇮🇹🍝🌊 2️⃣ Santorini, Greece 🇬🇷🌅🏛️ 3️⃣ Porto, Portugal 🇵🇹🍷🎨 4️⃣ Zakynthos, Greece 🇬🇷🐢🌴 5️⃣ Ibiza, Spain 🇪🇸🎶🌴 6️⃣ Florence, Italy 🇮🇹🎨🏰 7️⃣ Madrid, Spain 🇪🇸🍤🍷 8️⃣ Amsterdam, Netherlands 🇳🇱🚲🌷 9️⃣ Prague, Czech Republic 🇨🇿🏰✨ 🔟 Malaga, Spain 🇪🇸🏖️🍤 #europe #europa #europetravel #europetrip #europedestinations #europe_vacations #europetravels #europeansummer #travel #travelphotography #traveler #travelblogger #travelgram #backpacking #citytrip #fy #fyp #trending #europetiktok

♬ original sound - EX7STENCE™
@alixearle

Cant believe we remembered to finish our clapping video 👏🏻🥹 BEST TRIP EVER #girlstrip #europeansummer #europeinspo

♬ Magic In The Hamptons - Social House

And while this influx of content wouldn’t usually spark much of a reaction, this year, things feel particularly poignant.

The war is still raging on in Gaza, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing mass displacement and conflict-related deaths, and we’re also in the midst of witnessing two of the most important elections in the history of both the UK and the US. Basically, a lot is happening. And some of the excesses in respect of the European summer content feels mildly tone-deaf.

What is #Eurosummer?

In my eyes, a #Eurosummer is when someone, typically from the US, spends an extended period of time in Europe. We’re talking aesthetically pleasing cobbled streets, and lots and lots of Aperol Spritz and blue water. #Eurosummer gained prominence in tandem with the proliferation of Mamma Mia summers in Greece and searching for La Dolce Vita (the sweet life) in Italy.

@katiamoon

What are your summer plans? 💙✨ #summer #greece #summeringreece #travel #traveltogreece #mammamia #mammamiasummer #greek #santorini #mykonos #paros #kefalonia #koufonisia #greecetravel

♬ our last summer - leo
@

♬ -
@cheersboo

summer is the superior season 🍋🩵🫶🏼🍝⛱️🌸⛵️ #ladolcevita #italiansummer #amalficoast #dioriviera #diorbeachclub #europeansummer #sardinia

♬ belly conklin x brazil - user69577120513

When I think of a European summer, I now tend to picture influencer Alix Earle. The 23-year-old creator, who has an insane following of 6.9 million followers on TikTok, is currently making her way across Europe attending work events, weddings, and just generally soaking up the sun.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alix Ashley Earle (@alix_earle)

@alixearle

Bb stays surprising me 😭

♬ original sound - Alix Earle

My point is to direct hate towards Earle, it’s more to exemplify the kinds of false realities her content sells to viewers. And she’s not alone, my TikTok FYP is completely full of different influencers, many of whom I really like, enjoying their own Euro summers:

@kakikirkk

Woke up happy #fyp

♬ Clumsy - Fergie

The #Eurosummer trend is not only unrealistic, it also promotes consumerism like its life depends on it. The European style ultimately ends up translating into a swathe of products for one to immerse themselves in. It’s not just a holiday, it’s a lifestyle brand—and an expensive one at that. This attitude also omits the fact that each country in Europe has its own specific culture, history, and language.

And it seems as though even the locals are not obsessed with the European summer craze. In June this year, 10,000 locals marched through Mallorca’s capital, Palma, protesting against the saturation tourism that they say has rendered their city unliveable. For context, in 2022, roughly 8.3 million Americans travelled to Southern and Mediterranean European countries.

The beauty of Europe is undeniable, and it makes sense that so many people flock to Italy, Greece, Spain, etc. But with the world currently experiencing mass pain and suffering, the #Eurosummer trend needs to either be curbed or measured appropriately with content that properly addresses the political and cultural issues going on.

So, in short, the algorithm might be making my socials a whole lot more aesthetically pleasing right now, but at what cost?

Keep On Reading

By Abby Amoakuh

Europe still sterilises disabled women despite the practice being a human rights violation

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Problematic P Diddy Nickelodeon cameo surfaces following house raids and Quiet On Set documentary

By Charlie Sawyer

Penn Badgley praised for opening up about fatherhood and raising sons on Call Her Daddy

By Eliza Frost

Jennifer Lawrence weighs in on The Summer I Turned Pretty love triangle, revealing she is Team Jeremiah

By Abby Amoakuh

ICE hit with backlash for lying to elementary school staff in bid to detain young students

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Did Chappell Roan push her assistant on the red carpet? We analyse the footage

By Eliza Frost

Bad Bunny is not touring the US due to fear of ICE raids at concerts

By Eliza Frost

What is Banksying? Inside the latest toxic dating trend even worse than ghosting

By Eliza Frost

The swag gap relationship: Does it work when one partner is cooler than the other?

By Eliza Frost

Glen Powell’s GQ photoshoot is a satiric look at modern day males—and he’s in on the joke 

By Abby Amoakuh

Tiktoker gets slammed by dermatologists for promoting dangerous caveman skincare regime

By Charlie Sawyer

Sabrina Carpenter accused of centering men on controversial album cover

By Charlie Sawyer

Fans express concern after Harry Potter TV series announces the casting of Harry, Ron, and Hermione

By Eliza Frost

The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 proves we’ll never be over love triangles

By Abby Amoakuh

BLACKPINK’s Lisa faces backlash after wearing civil rights icon Rosa Parks on her crotch at Met Gala

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Could the next pope be Black? Peter Turkson’s papal bid could rewrite over 1,500 years of Vatican history

By Charlie Sawyer

Michael Cera reveals why he turned down a role in the Harry Potter franchise

By Eliza Frost

The Summer I Turned Pretty’s Chris Briney is at the centre of a new love triangle, but this time for an audio erotica story 

By Charlie Sawyer

Donald trump to accept $400M luxury plane from Qatar royal family

By Eliza Frost

Netflix’s new Trainwreck documentary exposes the rise and scandalous fall of American Apparel