Demand for European summer travel has weakened, with a recent poll showing that nearly 65% of agents are seeing less interest than last year.
“While we still have clients travelling to these destinations, volumes are lower than in the same period last year,” said Tammy Wright, Sales and Product Manager of Dream Kist Tours.
Sue Garrett, GM Supply, Pricing & Marketing, Flight Centre Travel Group, said global and economic factors were influencing demand for European travel. “We’ve seen a decline in European summer bookings compared to the same period last year. The world looks and feels different to how it did 12 months ago, and South African travellers are responding accordingly.”
Flight Centre has noticed the slowdown across most of the European favourites. Lisbon has seen the sharpest decline in bookings, down 35% year-on-year, followed by Istanbul down 32%, Amsterdam down 22%, Rome down 23%, Paris down 20% and Barcelona down 18%.
“In some of the most visited summer hotspots, travellers are becoming more flexible with timing or exploring alternative regions and itineraries that offer a slightly different experience, often with better value or fewer crowds,” said Darsha Soobramoney, Marketing and Events Manager of The Travel Corporation South Africa.
Conflict impact
Conflict in the Middle East is having a knock-on effect on demand for European travel, as travellers become more cautious about booking summer holidays.
“We have seen some impact in destinations such as Greece and Turkey. A key contributing factor has been the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has influenced traveller sentiment and created a degree of uncertainty around travel planning in the broader region,” said Wright.
Even though Europe is not directly in the conflict zone, the knock-on effect has been significant. “Beyond the logistics, there’s a psychological dimension that shouldn’t be underestimated. When conflict is dominating the news cycle and flight paths are affected, travellers become hesitant. That hesitation is costing European destinations this summer,” said Garrett.
Uncertainty and cost
According to Garrett uncertainty and cost are driving the hesitation.
“Travellers are nervous, not necessarily about Europe itself, but about what a further escalation could mean for their flights and their plans.”
Jet fuel prices have also increased travel costs. “Jet fuel prices have skyrocketed and, as a result, airlines have had to pass those costs on through fuel surcharges and higher base fares. This is a deterrent for South African travellers already contending with the rand’s purchasing power on long-haul routes,” said Garrett.
Soobramoney said this influenced booking patterns. “Travellers are taking a bit more time, being more price-conscious, and comparing options, especially around airfares. The appetite to travel to Europe hasn’t changed, but the ongoing situation in the Middle East, combined with broader global uncertainty, has prompted clients to ask more questions about flight routes, airline schedules and travel costs.”
Pent-up demand for Europe remains strong but for summer 2026, elevated fares and geopolitical unease have pushed travellers to pause or redirect their travel somewhere else.
“We’re seeing strong growth in bookings to Mauritius, Zanzibar, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, as well as a notable uptick in domestic travel. These destinations offer excellent value, no airspace anxiety, and genuinely world-class experiences,” said Garrett.
