The European Travel Commission's first report for the year shows that travel to Europe has surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the first time this quarter.
The report shows that there has been a 7,2% increase in foreign arrivals from the same period in 2019. The report also highlights that visitors will spend 14,3% more money while travelling in Europe than last year. This is due to both inflation and demand preferences.
“Consumer data also shows that travel remains a top priority in 2024. Both intra-European and long-haul tourist spending increased in early 2024. Forecasts indicate that travellers will spend €742.8 billion (R14,7 trillion) in Europe this year,” ETC said.
The top trending European destinations are in the southern Mediterranean area – Spain, Portugal, Malta, plus Turkey, as well as Bulgaria and Serbia. Nordic destinations also saw a surge in demand as travellers seek out Northern Lights experiences. Finland, however, saw one of the weakest growth rates due to the country’s proximity to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are also experiencing a decrease in international arrivals due to their proximity to the conflict.
It was observed that visitors perceived the European tourism industry positively for value for money, which scored 8,45 out of 10 and sustainability, which scored 7,52 out of 10.
