Explore Travel Trends on Spending, Destinations, Type of Travel & Much More!
Europe accounts for 50% of the world's tourist arrivals, and 2024 welcomed roughly 747 million tourist arrivals.
As you will see from the data below, the continent is a hot spot for tourists. France saw the largest number of visitors in 2024, attracting approximately 100 million international tourists, which was partly driven by the Paris Olympics.
2024 was the best tourism year on record for the EU, with 3 billion tourism nights spent at tourist accommodation. In 2025, Europe's tourism market is projected to reach a revenue of US$305.96 billion. Check out the data below to see what drives tourism to Europe.
KEY STATISTICS FOR TOURISM IN EUROPE :
In 2024, Europe saw approximately 747 million tourist arrivals.
In 2025, Europe's tourism market is projected to reach a revenue of US$305.96 billion.
Europe's tourism industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2.81% between 2025 and 2029, reaching a market volume of US$341.77 billion by 2029.
Package Holidays are expected to be the largest segment, with a forecasted market volume of US$136.87 billion by 2025.
The average revenue per user is anticipated to be US$649.55.
2024 was the best tourism year on record for the EU, with 3 billion tourism nights spent at tourist accommodation.
Malta saw the biggest growth rate in nights spent in tourist accommodation, increasing by 14.4%.
Followed by Latvia increasing by 7.4% and Poland by 5.2%.
Spain saw an increase of +15 million nights , reaching 500 million nights spent in 2024.
Italy increased by 11 million nights, and Germany increased by 10 million .
On an average night, 179,000 more tourists stayed at EU accommodation compared to 2023.
Hotels accounted for nearly two-thirds of nights spent in 2024.
In 2024, Europe saw approximately 747 million tourist arrivals.
In 2024, 40.2 million American tourists visited Europe.
£31.5 billion was spent by overseas visitors to the UK in 2024, up 1% from 2023.
18 million UK tourists visited Spain in 2024.
France ranked second, contributing around 13 million visitors to Spain last year.
International visitors to France contributed 126.61 million nights in 2024.
International tourists in France generated $74 billion in revenue, up 12% vs. 2023.
International tourists in Spain generated $129.8 billion in revenue.
Visitors to the UK generated an estimated £31.5 billion in spending.
Switzerland saw 42.8 million overnight stays in 2024 - a 2.6% increase vs 2023.
This was driven by a 14% rise in stays from American travelers.
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In 2024, Europe was the world's leading tourist destination, with all sub-regions surpassing pre-pandemic levels, bar Central and Eastern Europe.
Substantial growth was seen in France, due to the 2024 Paris Olympics, driving huge visitor numbers. Spain and Italy ranked second and third. Spain is popular amongst British tourists and families looking for warmer weather. Italy is popular as a tourist destination due to its cultural heritage, natural beauty and culinary scene.
The least visited country is San Marino, it often gets overlooked by tourists because of its size as it is the fifth smallest country in the world. Liechtenstein is the second least visited country in Europe. It is situated in the Alps and is only 62 square miles, but it is the perfect uncrowded skiing location and has a beautiful Alpine landscape. Moldova is also one of the least visited countries, it boasts an immense history and is a fantastic location if you want a cheap weekend escape.
Sources : USAToday , EuropeanUnionTourismTrends, Wikipedia , Time , AssistAnt , Delano , Sojern, ComacAmerica, SouthAfricaToday , SchengenVisaInfo , Skift , TravelTriangle, Statista , Statista , Road Genius , World Tourism Forum , Visit Britain , UN Tourism , Reuters,
The most visited countries in Europe are:
France – Over 100 million international visitors - largely influenced by the 2024 Paris Olympics
Spain – 94 million international visitors
Italy – 65 million international visitors
United Kingdom – 41.2 million international visitors
Turkey – 62.2 million international visitors
Austria – 46.71 million international visitors
Greece – 35.9 million international visitors
Portugal – 31.6 million international visitors
What is the least-visited country in Europe?
San Marino takes in 60,000 visitors a year. This makes San Marino the least-visited country in Europe.
Liechtenstein is the second least visited country and attracts 69,000 tourists a year.
Moldova is located between Romania and Ukraine and welcomes 121,000 visitors a year.
Most Popular European City Breaks
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Dublin, Ireland
Paris, France
Barcelona, Spain
Rome, Italy
Malaga, Spain
Prague, Czech Republic
Budapest, Hungary
Lisbon, Portugal
Berlin, Germany
Google searches per month 2024
91,200
64,000
61,000
64,000
41,400
25,170
29,800
30,190
16,300
24,400
France is the number one tourist destination in Europe, and in 2024, this was largely driven by the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics. Tourism revenue grew by 12% compared with 2023. Increases were driven by Belgian, British, German, Swiss, and US tourists. France recorded its highest-ever international tourism revenue at €71 billion in 2024.
Spain remains a popular destination due to its warmer climate, UNESCO World Heritage sites, Mediterranean beaches, vibrant cities, and cultural attractions.
Europe is popular due to its wide range of cultural destinations, stunning beaches, cuisine, and beautiful landscapes. European destinations are within easy reach of one another, making it popular with international visitors from further afield.
Sources : European Union Tourism Trends , Politico , Wikipedia , ABTA , Holidu , Monaco Life,
In 2024, tourism in Europe is estimated to have generated over €800.5 billion in revenue.
An increase of 13.7% compared to 2023.
The European travel and tourism sector is estimated to contribute over €1.75 trillion to the economy in 2024.
In 2025, Europe's tourism market is projected to reach a revenue of US$305.96 billion.
Europe's tourism industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2.81% between 2025 and 2029, reaching a market volume of US$341.77 billion by 2029.
Package Holidays are expected to be the largest segment, with a forecasted market volume of US$136.87 billion by 2025.
The average revenue per user is anticipated to be US$649.55.
Tourism Revenue by Country
France
Spain
Germany
UK
Italy
Austria
Portugal
Netherlands
Greece
Poland
Tourist Receipts (USD billion)
71.2
92.0
37.4
73.4
55.9
24.7
24.7
20.7
22.3
15.0
In 2024, Europe saw robust growth with an estimated €800.5 billion in revenue. France is the biggest driver of revenue, which is no surprise as it welcomed the most international visitors in 2024.
Europe's range of attractions, rich culture, strong travel infrastructure, and diverse landscapes make Europe popular with tourists from around the world.
SOURCES – WorldBank, EuropeanUnionTourismTrends, JLL , Telegraph , EuropeanParliament , WP Travel , CBI,
Hotels are still the most popular accommodation, accounting for 63% of nights spent in 2024.
Holiday and short-stay accommodation , including apartments and vacation rentals, accounted for 24% .
Camping grounds and RV parks accounted for 13%.
The hotel industry in Europe is projected to reach US$117.78bn in 2025.
39% of visitors to France stayed in hotels in 2024 vs. 44% of visitors to the UK .
26% stayed in short-stay accommodation vs 22% of visitors to the UK.
18% stayed with family and friends vs 16% of visitors to the UK.
9% stayed at bed & breakfasts vs 17% of visitors to the UK.
Accommodation statistics demonstrate that hotels are still the most popular accommodation chosen by travelers, and projections for 2025 are strongly estimated to reach US$117.78bn.
Short-stay accommodation is the second most popular choice. In 2024, Airbnb saw substantial growth, with over 490 million nights and experiences booked worldwide, bringing in over $11 billion in revenue.
The camping and caravanning industry is an important market; although it drives a lower number of travellers, the market is projected to grow from USD 16.65 billion in 2024 to USD 23.61 billion by 2029. This is driven by the increasing popularity of outdoor tourism and affordability when travelling.
SOURCES – WorldBank, EuropeanUnionTourismTrends, JLL , Telegraph , EuropeanParliament , Statista , Statista ,
61% of arrivals into the EU were taken for leisure, recreation and holiday purposes.
9.7% of France’s gross domestic product comes from tourism. 30% of this is contributed by foreign tourists and 70% comes from domestic tourism.
1,140 billion U.S dollars was spent on European tourism in 2018.
1,292.5 billion U.S dollars was spent on travel to Europe.
368.2 billion U.S dollars was spent on business travel in 2017.
62% of EU residents made at least one personal trip in 2017.
15% of international tourists in the EU travelled for business, whereas 24% travelled for other reasons such as visiting relatives and friends, health reasons, religious reasons and pilgrimages.
Why travel to Europe? The continent is unique because each country offers something completely different, making the continent very appealing for international tourists. Whether traveling to the romanticized city of Paris or the historic city of Venice.
This is demonstrated by the above data, as 61% of arrivals were made for leisure, recreation and holiday purposes. According to Forbes, the top 5 best destinations for 2019 are Budapest (Hungary), Braga (Portugal), Monte Isola (Italy), Metz (France) and Poznan (Poland).
Why is tourism so popular in Europe? Countries in the EU can be easily accessed, you can travel from one popular city to the next in just a few hours. It is quick and easy to explore and travel through whilst catering to various holidaymakers' needs.
SOURCES – EuropeanUnionTourismTrends,Earth&World, Statista, Forbes
In 2024, the EU's Travel & Tourism sector created over 26 million jobs.
Representing 12% of all EU jobs.
An increase of almost 5% compared with 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by nearly 6%.
This accounts for one in nine jobs across Europe.
How does the travel industry help with employment? It has helped to provide 26 million jobs for the EU and has contributed massively to the country's GDP. The travel industry has helped sustain a large number of jobs and it has been found to contribute to one in nine jobs globally. Accommodation, travel agencies/tour operators and air transport are the three industries that rely almost entirely on tourism.
The travel industry helps produce a large number of jobs, specifically for young people, and contributes immensely to the reduction of youth unemployment.
SOURCES – USNews , EuropeanUnionTourismTrends, WTTC ,
Tourist arrivals to Europe dropped to 239.63 million in 2020.
Trips and tourism nights spent by Europeans dropped by 37 % in 2020.
The biggest drops in trips made between 2019 to 2020 were observed for residents of Slovakia, Latvia, Ireland, and Slovenia, with less than half as many trips in 2020 due to COVID-19.
In Sweden, the impact was minimal with only 2% fewer trips made by its residents, mainly because of a significant increase of 35% in the number of domestic trips.
71% or 129 million fewer trips made by airplane in 2020 than in 2019.
Tourists from those 19 EU Member States spent €215 billion less on tourism trips, with tourism expenditure down from €396 billion in 2019 to €181 billion in 2020.
In 2022, Europe reached nearly 80% of pre-pandemic levels.
Europe welcomed 594.53 million arrivals but hasn't reached pre-pandemic levels at 743.91 million in 2019.
Visits to the UK reached 24.1 million in 2023, 88% of the 27.3 million visits in 2019.
A recent report by PWC is forecasting 35.1 million tourist visits in 2023 (86% of the 2019 level and 18% higher than in 2022) and £29.5 billion spend (104% of the 2019 level and 14% higher than in 2022).
The forecast is for 11.0 million overseas visits to the UK in 2023, 81% of the 13.6 million in 2019.
London is set to be the second most popular destination for American tourists in 2022.
The average Europe vacation package purchased by Americans spend is 31% higher for 2023 compared to 2019.
The total number of nights spent in tourist accommodation in 2022 was close to the pre-pandemic level (2.72 billion nights in 2022 compared with 2.88 billion in 2019; -5.6%).
No. of nights spent by tourists increased post-pandemic (2019 vs. 2022) in Denmark (38.4 million nights +12.3%), the Netherlands (128.3 million +3.9%), and Belgium (42.7 million +0.5%).
Visits by overseas visitors to the UK in June 2022 are still lower than pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic levels, down 19% from 3.7 million in June 2019.
Overseas residents spent £2.7 billion in the UK in June 2022.
In 2021, the total contribution of travel and tourism to European GDP partially recovered from the impact of COVID-19, amounting to $1,450 billion U.S. dollars, this was up by 28% from 2020, remaining below pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, the contribution of travel and tourism to the European job market grew by nearly 5% in 2021 compared to the previous year, with these industries generating approximately 35 thousand jobs.
Travel to Europe is recovering well from the pandemic and international travel to Europe is forecast to reach pre-pandemic levels in 2025. As there are currently no travel restrictions to Europe, over 60% of potential travellers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, and the US intend to travel long-haul in 2023, with Europe being top of mind.
Despite the positive outlook for travel in 2023, high inflation continues to put pressure on individuals and will impact how much they can spend on travel. With this in mind, getting good value for less budget becomes essential for travellers.
Sources: Statista, EuroStat, Euronews, UNWTO, Cashflows, ETC
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