Inbound tourism in Europe: record summer 2024

12-07-24

The summer season is setting a milestone for inbound tourism in Europe, with figures projected to surpass all previous records, according to the European Tourism Association (ETOA) and Forwardkeys. This year has started with remarkable momentum, characterized by a significant increase in international arrivals during July and August, which are expected to be 12% higher than last year. This growth even exceeds the overall rate of increase of 11%, underlining the robustness of the European tourism market in a challenging global economic context.

The report highlights several key factors that have contributed to this increase. Firstly, the resurgence of the Asian market has been notable, with travel from Asia-Pacific to Europe increasing by 11%. Countries such as China and Japan have recorded impressive increases of 64% and 53%, respectively, reflecting a renewed interest in European destinations by Asian travelers. In addition, intra-regional travel within Europe has seen a 10% increase, underscoring the preference for exploring multiple destinations within the continent.

Urban destinations have been the main beneficiaries of this resurgence. Cities such as Munich, with major sporting events this summer, have seen a 37% increase in arrivals. Vienna and Zurich follow, each with a 23% increase, followed closely by Prague and Budapest with 22% and 21% growth, respectively. Barcelona and Madrid also stand out in the top 10 destinations with strong performance, reflecting the diversity of interests and activities tourists seek in European cities.