The opening ceremony was attended by the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas and dignitaries including Virginijus Sinkevičius, MEP and Vice-Chair of the TRAN Committee. This year’s focus is on better access to mobility for all, safer and well-connected routes for walking and cycling, plus clean, reliable, and accessible public transport, and attractive and accessible public spaces.

Since its first year, in 2001, thousands of towns and cities in dozens of countries from Albania to Colombia and South Korea have participated in the week. The initiative has promoted pedestrianisation with enlarged streets and improved infrastructure; better accessibility through actions such as the creation of wheelchair ramps and lowering of pavements; an Improved and expanded European cycling network; traffic calming measures, particularly around schools; and the provision of electric vehicle charging points to encourage new forms of vehicle ownership.

This year action is taking place across more than 2,500 towns and cities in Europe and beyond. In Aveiro, Portugal, residents are looking at mobility at both ends of the age spectrum, with a “Kidical” mass bicycle ride organised by and for children and families, as well as launching a “senior mobility charter.”

In Kassel, Germany, more multigenerational action is at work, with a walk bringing local senior care home residents’ views to the fore and a family transport-themed treasure hunt. In Differdange, Luxembourg, Car-Free Day will see BMX demonstrations takeover the centre, while bike ramps and expanded 30 km/h zones will leave a permanent legacy.

Picking up on those themes in a statement, Tzitzikostas said: “The European Mobility Week is a reminder that transport must work for everyone. This year, our campaign’s focus is on intergenerational fairness. We need accessible, affordable and reliable mobility solutions that connect people of all ages to services, jobs, education, and each other. A fairer, cleaner and more user-friendly transport system means more opportunities, greater independence and stronger communities across Europe.”

Businesses, NGOs, schools, and other actors, including cities, who want to get involved in the ongoing challenge of the “EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK” branded campaign are encouraged to register their “MOBILITYACTION” online.

L’article European Mobility Week marks 25 years with focus on sustainable transport est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

For the 2026 European Hotel Distribution Study, Professor Roland Schegg of HES-SO Valais-Wallis and HOTREC surveyed 2,713 hotels throughout Europe. 1,882 of those concerned individual hotels from 28 countries, while 831 were hotel-chain properties.

The results are remarkable. On the one hand, direct bookings prove to remain resilient. Approximately half of hotel bookings (51.3%) are made directly with the hotel. This includes bookings through websites, email, telephone, and walk-ins.

On the other hand, Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) seem to be deeply embedded in hotel distribution. I 2026, they accounted for 29.9% of hotel room bookings, up grom 19.7% in 2013. An increase of more than 10 percentage points over 12 years, while the share of direct bookings declined by 6 percentage points.

The OTA market is also increasingly dominated by a small number of stakeholders. Booking Holdings accounted for 60% of European OTA bookings in 2013, while it stands at almost 70% in 2026. Together with Expedia Group, the two largest global groups now account for more than 85% of all OTA bookings in Europe. For Europe’s independent hotels and SMEs, this means an increased dependency and a risk to innovation in the sector.

“Hotels need digital platforms, but they also need genuine choice. Growing concentration must not translate into growing dependency. Europe’s hotels, most of them SMEs, need a competitive and transparent marketplace where they can choose how to reach their guests and remain in control of their own business,” stated Alexandros Vassilikos, President of HOTREC.

Moreover, bookings through OTAs do are not only a concern when it comes to market share and commission costs. According to the European Hotel Distribution Study, 51% of hotels report that OTAs undercut their prices frequently or occasionally, while 80% of those did not agreed to the lower price being offered. Meanwhile, more than 44% of hotels report OTA multi-sourcing, meaning rates or availability can be redistributed through other platforms or intermediaries, leading to price inconsistencies, guest confusion, billing difficulties, incorrect information, and reduced control over inventory.

“Europe’s digital rules are not only about search engines, social media or app stores. For thousands of hotels, a gatekeeper platform stands directly between the business and its guest. With 85% of OTA bookings going through just two global groups, robust enforcement of the Digital Markets Act is essential to protect competition, expand consumer choice, support innovation and safeguard Europe’s SMEs,” commented Marie Audren, Director General of HOTREC.

HOTREC finds the survey underlines the importance of Europe’s digital rules for the hospitality sector. The association sees Booking Holdings as a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), while the Platform-to-Business Regulation (P2B) is at risk under the proposed Digital Omnibus. The DMA thus needs to be effectively implemented and enforced, and the P2B Regulation’s essential transparency and fairness safeguards need to be preserved.

In the study, HOTREC underlines that such protections are vital to ensure that hospitality SMEs retain meaningful control over pricing, payments, distribution, data, and guest relationships, while giving the next generation of hospitality entrepreneurs room to grow.

L’article Booking and Expedia account for 85% of Europe’s OTA market, HOTREC study finds est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Commission’s aim is to make the rules for short-term rentals more consistent across the bloc and reduce legal uncertainty. Cities including Barcelona, Paris and Venice have already taken their own steps to limit the effects of platforms such as Airbnb on local housing markets. Those measures range from tighter quality standards and pauses on new licences to outright bans, leaving a patchwork of rules that has prompted legal challenges.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented the proposal as part of the EU’s wider effort to address the cost of living. In a statement, she said it would help to “tackle Europe’s housing affordability” by giving local authorities and communities clearer guidance that remains “anchored in local realities.”

#EU: Share of 'entire property' short-term rentals in total conventional dwellings per Functional Urban Area (FUA).

Indicator Measured: The percentage of residential dwellings listed as full-home short-term rentals (e.g., Airbnb listings) compared to local housing stock.

EU… pic.twitter.com/RSoDmB3xRD

— Apostolos Kleitsogiannis (@apostolos_kl) September 14, 2026

Under the proposed approach, however, local authorities could not restrict short-term rentals without evidence of a housing problem. Relevant indicators might include a high ratio of property prices to local incomes or a sustained rise in housing costs over at least a decade.

These criteria are intended to show that any restrictions are necessary and proportionate. That could make them easier to defend against claims that they breach EU law, including the rules governing services. Rental providers have already brought such challenges in cities including Barcelona, where authorities are attempting to scrap 10,000 short-term rental permits. Barcelona would be likely to meet the proposed conditions: over the past decade, rents have risen by nearly 70%, while home purchase prices have increased by 38%.

Europeans need more affordable homes. Rents are soaring & demand is outpacing supply.

Too many homes are being treated as assets instead of places to live.

With the Affordable Housing Act, we are giving local authorities the possibility to take action within EU law.

↓ pic.twitter.com/cqKuuPvOAS

— Dan Jørgensen (@DanJoergensen) September 9, 2026

The proposal builds on earlier EU action. In 2024, the European Parliament adopted measures designed to improve transparency in the short-term rental sector. However, those rules operated on an “opt-in/opt-out” basis, so Member States were not required to take part. The new draft would still need approval from the relevant EU governments and the European Parliament before it could take effect, a process likely to take months. If adopted, it would be the EU’s first framework for aligning housing measures across the bloc and would form part of broader efforts to rethink how European tourism is managed.

Critics argue that the framework may still rely too heavily on self-regulation and therefore fail to prevent disproportionate local rules. Alexandre Roure, Head of Policy at the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe), said: “Without independent scrutiny or effective redress, this proposal will remain a paper tiger, leaving disproportionate restrictions in place and undermining the legal certainty the Affordable Housing Act is meant to provide.”

L’article Why is the EU tightening rules on short-term rentals? est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Under the new security scheme, which was supposed to be fully phased in by April 2026, non-EU visitors at the external borders of the Schengen Area must register biometric information on their first arrival—information which is then stored digitally for three years or until the relevant passport expires.

Widespread disruption at travel hubs ensued, as travellers attempted to register at kiosks that were not fully functional and staffing levels at some airports were insufficient to process the summer’s visitor numbers. To ease the chaos, the EU introduced flexibility in applying the new rules with an official grace period that ended on 6 September 2026.

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Since then, however, at least nine countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, are still not consistently enforcing the new EES and have been given unofficial permission to continue bending the rules to promote operational efficiency into the autumn season, The Times reports.

The list of countries where EES is still not being properly enforced with the apparent blessing of EU officials consists of Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Switzerland.

Travel industry stakeholders, from tour operators to airlines, have repeatedly urged the European Commission to reconsider the way the new EES border checks are being implemented, pointing to a poor travel experience for visitors and reputational harm to the region.

Europe’s largest airline, Ryanair, has slammed the way the system has been delivered, saying: “The EU’s handling of EES has been a shambles from start to finish. Airlines, airports, and border authorities repeatedly warned Brussels that the rollout was not ready, that it would increase processing times and that it would create excessive queues for passengers.”

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has also warned of the continued risk of that congestion and disruption at European borders, with Thomas Reynaert, Senior Vice President, External Affairs at IATA, declaring on 3 September that an ongoing suspension of the measures “is absolutely necessary until the end of the winter season.”

Going further, Matthew Pack, CEO of Holiday Extras, said the border system had “failed” and argued “The honest response is to … roll it back, and rebuild it properly.”

Whether the appetite and funds are there to do so, is another matter, especially when the system has entailed a financial outlay from the bloc’s neighbours. The UK government has provided £10.5 million for infrastructure changes at the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel, and Eurostar, as well as £20 million to boost capacity, amounting to over €35 million in total. A UK spokesperson has, however, said the government is committed “to work closely with our EU, operational and local partners to minimise delays for holidaymakers, hauliers and local communities.”

L’article Nine EU countries delay EES border checks for UK travellers est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Italian train operator Trenitalia has begun testing its Frecciarossa high-speed trains in Germany and Austria, paving the way for direct services between Milan and Munich and Rome and Munich. Once in service, these routes will offer travellers a ground-level view of the majestic Alpine landscapes and surrounding countryside.

Both routes are expected to begin commercial operations in summer 2027, initially offering four connections per day. They will be operated in partnership with Deutsche Bahn (DB) in Germany and Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB).

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The Milan–Munich journey will take approximately six and a half hours and will stop at Brescia, Verona, Rovereto, Trento, Bolzano and Innsbruck. The Rome-Munich service will take approximately two hours longer. It will follow the same route from Verona, with stops in Florence and Bologna beforehand.

Journey times should be significantly reduced once the Brenner Base Tunnel opens, cutting around an hour off travel time between Italy and Germany. The tunnel is currently scheduled to open in 2032, though some reports suggest this may be delayed until 2034.

Trenitalia and DB have developed training programmes for German and Austrian drivers and are sharing technical expertise in order to adapt the trains to the different power supply and signalling systems.

There are plans to further extend train services between Italy and Germany from December 2028, with ten connections between the countries and extended routes to Naples and Berlin. Trenitalia’s parent company, the Italian state railway company Ferrovie dello Stato (FS Group), has also announced plans to “meet demand for other European destinations, such as Frankfurt and Krakow”.

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Meanwhile, Innsbruck is set to become a central hub for the new network, with both routes passing through the Austrian city after crossing the Brenner Pass from Italy. Crucially, the Frecciarossa 1000 was designed with European interoperability in mind, meaning it can run not only in Italy but also on the rail networks of France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium. This will allow passengers to travel directly from Italy to Germany without changing trains.

The FS Group has wider ambitions and seems intent on conquering the continent by train, one route at a time. It already operates services in France and Spain, and has ordered 19 new high-speed trains in an effort to launch a London–Paris service via the Channel Tunnel by 2029, in the hope of breaking Eurostar’s current high-speed monopoly.

“The start of test runs in Germany and Austria is a step towards delivering a project that confirms our ambition to make the train the benchmark mode of transport for mobility across Europe,” said FS chief executive Gianpiero Strisciuglio.

He described the wider vision as a high-speed “European Metro”, bringing regions, people and economies closer together.

Italy’s Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini, also welcomed the progress, describing it as “a further step confirming the growth of the FS Group and its ability to win new markets abroad, while providing better services and infrastructure in Italy. More jobs, more connections, more Italy in Europe.”

L’article New Frecciarossa routes will connect Rome and Milan with Munich est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

German travellers from western Germany flying with Brussels Airlines can now combine their flight and train journey in a single booking, thanks to a partnership between the Belgian airline and Deutsche Bahn, with the launch of the ICE high-speed train connection between Cologne and Antwerp, which includes a stop at Zaventem, the name by which Belgians commonly refer to the airport.

The partnership between Brussels Airlines and Deutsche Bahn was announced in February. According to the airline, over a thousand tickets have been sold since then.

Brussels Airlines Chief Financial Officer Nina Öwerdieck expressed her enthusiasm over the partnership, saying that the company can now welcome more guests onto its network “without the need to add flights”.

Brussels Airport offers connections to more than 180 destinations worldwide. The most popular destinations for intermodal travellers are New York (United States), Accra (Ghana) and Alicante (Spain).

“We hope this is the start of a large high-speed train network at Brussels Airport, … with more seamless intermodal travel options”, she added.

Her enthusiasm was echoed by Dr Michael Peterson, DB Board Member for Long-Distance Passenger Transport at Deutsche Bahn, who said the direct trains are making “international rail travel even easier and more appealing for passengers”.

Brussels Airport chief Arnaud Feist warmly welcomed the new connection. He explained that the ambition is to establish this connection sustainably and that they hope it will be the starting point for more high-speed train links in the future.

Feist says Brussels Airport was the first airport in the world to have its own railway station connected directly to the terminal when the new airport opened in 1958, ahead of the Brussels World Fair. “The train has always held a special place at the airport,” said Feist.

Currently, 330 trains stop at the airport station on weekdays, providing direct rail links to 80 stations, a number set to increase as new services are added.

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The new service offers two return journeys every day between Cologne and Antwerp. Trains from Cologne arrive at Brussels Airport at 08:29 and 16:28, while those travelling in the other direction call at the airport at 11:29 and 14:29. The trains also stop in Aachen, Liège and Leuven along the way.

Passengers combining train and plane can earn Miles & More points and benefit from a guaranteed connection in the event of delays. They also receive reserved seating on the train and CityTickets for local transport in Cologne and Aachen. Eligible premium passengers can also access the DB Lounge at Cologne Central Station.

To celebrate the inaugural journey, the first passengers on the service were offered complimentary Neuhaus chocolates, another perk of travelling with a Belgian company.

L’article New Cologne ICE service reconnects Brussels Airport with European rail network est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Europe’s largest airline by passenger numbers has reduced its traffic forecast for the financial year ending 31 March 2027 from 216 million to 214 million passengers. The decision is intended to limit Ryanair’s exposure to expensive unhedged fuel during the winter season, when airlines traditionally face weaker demand and profitability.

Jet fuel has recently been trading at around $140 (€120) per barrel, approximately double the price at which Ryanair secured most of its fuel requirements for the current financial year.

The airline has hedged 80% of its fuel at $67 per barrel, providing significant protection from current market prices. Hedging allows carriers to agree fuel prices in advance, protecting them from sudden fluctuations in energy markets.

However, Ryanair said it was “prudent to strategically limit exposure to unhedged aircraft fuel during the unprofitable winter season”, which runs from November to March.

Two million fewer passengers

As a result, Ryanair expects its passenger numbers during the winter to remain broadly unchanged compared with the previous year rather than continuing the growth recorded during the summer.

The airline expects to carry around 145 million passengers between April and October, up more than 5% from approximately 138 million during the same period last year. In August alone, Ryanair carried 22.2 million passengers, an increase of 6% year-on-year.

The reduction in winter capacity is expected to cut seasonal losses by between €70 million and €100 million.

Ryanair nevertheless expects to remain profitable for the full financial year, although profits are likely to fall below the record levels achieved during the previous 12 months.

European air fares could rise in 2027

The airline has also warned that persistently high energy prices could have wider consequences for European aviation next year.

“If high oil prices continue through to summer 2027, Ryanair believes short-haul air fares in Europe will increase materially to reflect higher oil prices, as some less well-hedged competitors will struggle to maintain capacity or even survive this coming winter season,” the carrier said.

The warning echoes concerns raised earlier this year by the wider aviation industry. IATA Director General Willie Walsh had already warned that higher fuel costs would inevitably feed through to ticket prices as geopolitical tensions disrupted energy markets and increased costs for airlines.

The pressure on Ryanair itself has also been building for months. In April, the low-cost carrier revealed additional fuel costs of $50 million (€42.6 million) in a single month, with CEO Michael O’Leary warning about the consequences of persistently elevated fuel prices for less financially resilient European airlines.

Fuel represents one of the largest operating expenses for airlines, but the impact of rising prices varies significantly depending on how much fuel each carrier has hedged and at what price.

Ryanair’s relatively high level of hedging gives it substantial protection against current market prices, but its decision to reduce capacity illustrates the scale of the pressure even for carriers that secured much of their fuel in advance.

If elevated prices persist into 2027, airlines will progressively have to purchase a larger proportion of their fuel at higher rates as existing hedging contracts expire. That could force carriers to reduce capacity, increase fares or find savings elsewhere.

Network cuts

Ryanair has already made adjustments to parts of its network amid wider geopolitical disruption. The carrier suspended 17 routes to Amman, Jordan, during the summer. When services return, the airline is expected to initially connect the Jordanian capital with only four airports: Budapest, Bucharest, Madrid and Vienna.

For passengers, the immediate effect of Ryanair’s winter reductions will depend on which routes and frequencies are removed. But the airline’s broader warning is clear: if fuel prices remain close to current levels, European travellers could face fewer flights and higher fares in 2027.

L’article Ryanair cuts winter flights as fuel prices soar and warns of higher fares in 2027 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Gone are the days of endlessly waiting on a desolate railway platform in winter, wondering where on earth our train might be. TrainTracker 24 will not fix the gloomy, insufficiently lit station, but it will show you the history of the station, and more importantly, it will show you the exact whereabouts of your train, explain potential delays and confirm whether or not there is a taxi rank or bike rental service at your destination, or lockers to leave your luggage while you visit the city.

Launched in August, TrainTracker24 functions pretty much like Flightradar24, with trains represented by small coloured arrows moving across the map in real time. Clicking on one of these arrows provides detailed information about the train, including its number, stops and schedule, whether it is on time, the distance it covers, and the total journey time.

A service tab provides information about the train itself. Does it have air conditioning (essential during heatwaves), power sockets, or bike space? Is it accessible for people with reduced mobility, and does it have priority seating? The website clearly shows where the different classes are located on the train and the type of locomotive and carriages being used.

Crucially, the platform also provides “service info” about any disruptions or works along the route, including the dates on which works are scheduled and which stops are affected. Information on delays and cancellations is updated in real time, alongside statistics on active trains and punctuality.

TrainTracker24 est enfin sorti !

Suivez vos trains en temps réel en France, Espagne et Belgique. https://t.co/3V1HIMDXEP

— TrainTracker24 (@traintracker24_) August 26, 2026

It is remarkably easy to follow a train from A to Z, check its punctuality history and watch it make its way across the map. The journey can be made to feel more real by switching to satellite view and exploring the stations it stops at. Updates are provided every 20 seconds.

The latter are interactive, too. Clicking on one brings up a detailed overview alongside constantly updated departure and arrival boards.

There is plenty more to explore for train enthusiasts. The platform provides statistics on passenger numbers and punctuality for individual stations. For example, Brussels-Central has a punctuality rate of 93.8% and an average of 58,877 weekday boardings.

Lille recorded 25,331,979 passengers in 2024, and in June 2026, only 75.8% of its northbound long-distance TGV services were on time, compared with a 90.3% reliability rate for Hauts-de-France regional services.

Meanwhile, Paris Gare du Nord recorded 257,024,152 passengers in 2024 and had an 89.7% punctuality rate in July 2026. Madrid’s overall punctuality rating is 3.2 out of 5, with 87,496 passengers travelling daily.

The map can be filtered by national rail operators and also includes international operators such as Eurostar and Italy’s Frecciarossa. Other filters allow users to identify high-speed stations, stations without rail services, and operational stations that are closed to the public.

The main features of TrainTracker24 are free. Paid options include a personalised journey map, live data on disrupted services, the ability to sort trains by number of delays, and more detailed infrastructure information, ranging from track types to expert analyses.

The platform uses open data supplied by train operators, regional authorities, and infrastructure managers, and it plans to expand further across Europe, where there is a renewed surge in interest in rail travel, including night-train services.

L’article New live map tracks trains in real time across France, Spain and Belgium est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Stops currently listed on the European Sleeper website for the future route include Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam, The Hague, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen. Departures from both Brussels and Malmö will be timetabled three times a week at around 7:00 pm, European Sleeper said in promotional materials, with arrival at around 10:00 am the following morning. This way, the train firm says, “you can start your day in the Benelux or Scandinavia well rested.”

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On-board accommodation is likely to include European Sleeper’s typical range of seats, couchettes, and sleeping compartments but, amid the “premiumization” of travel, more “luxurious” configurations such as double beds and private en-suite bathrooms are “being considered,” press information reveals.

The service will be the Belgian-Dutch operator’s first to Scandinavia, and will rely on a partnership with Germany’s RDC, a rail firm that already works with European Sleeper on Paris-Berlin and Milan routes.

Markus Hunkel, chief executive officer of RDC, explained: “RDC has many years of experience operating night trains between Germany and Scandinavia. Together with European Sleeper, we can build on that experience and create a strong new connection between the Benelux, Denmark, and Sweden. We see real potential in combining our operational expertise with European Sleeper’s growing network and customer reach.”

European Sleeper already runs a suite of night trains to destinations in Germany, including Hamburg, Berlin, and Dresden, as well as to Prague in the Czech Republic. Delayed by a few months due to track works and regulatory issues, a new service is coming from 9 September 2026, through Switzerland and on to Italy’s Milan—a route the train firm has described as an important north-south axis. Brussels-Barcelona is also an upcoming connection.

“Our network is growing quickly, and Scandinavia is a natural next step,” said Chris Engelsman of European Sleeper.

Though separate infrastructure, different rail gauges, multiple websites, and ticketing challenges have historically dogged the development of pan-European rail travel, the segment is now growing rapidly, supported by legislation and subsidies that are making never-before-seen itineraries possible. That includes an epic 5,000-km rail adventure from the southern tip of Europe on Portugal’s Algarve to Finland’s northernmost train station of Kolari that is being hailed as the longest train journey in Europe.

L’article New European Sleeper train to connect Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Malmo est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

But the balance of European tourism may be shifting.

A major study by Deloitte and Google forecasts that Spain will overtake France by 2040, receiving around 110 million international tourists a year compared with 105 million in France.

The difference may appear relatively small, but the forecast points to a larger transformation of global tourism. International travel is expected to expand from around 1.5 billion trips in 2019 to 2.4 billion by 2040, while the traditional dominance of a handful of countries gradually gives way to a more diversified tourism map.

For Spain, however, the most striking point is that a forecast once looking relatively distant is beginning to appear increasingly plausible.

In 2025, Spain welcomed a record 96.8 million international tourists, up 3.2% from the previous year. As Travel Tomorrow reported in July, the country is now on course to approach or potentially surpass the symbolic threshold of 100 million visitors in 2026.

If that happens, Spain could effectively reach within the next year a level that leaves it only around 10 million visitors short of Deloitte and Google’s projection for 2040.

A global tourism market heading towards 2.4 billion trips

The Deloitte and Google research looks at how international travel has evolved over several decades and models how demographic, economic and geopolitical changes could reshape the sector up to 2040.

Between 1975 and 2019, global international arrivals roughly doubled every 15 years, eventually reaching almost 1.5 billion before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted that trajectory.

The long-term growth story is nevertheless expected to continue. By 2040, the study anticipates around 2.4 billion international trips globally.

Europe will remain the largest destination region, capturing 38% of the additional international arrivals generated between 2019 and 2040. That represents more than 362 million incremental tourists. Asia-Pacific follows with more than 278 million additional visitors.

The five leading destinations accounted for around 30% of global arrivals in 2019. By 2040, Deloitte and Google expect their combined share to fall to approximately 20%, even though most of today’s tourism giants will remain near the top.

Spain, France, the United States and China are all expected to retain positions in the global top five. Mexico is projected to rise to fifth place, pushing Italy into sixth, while destinations such as Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates could enter the top 15.

The Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, the emerging tourism markets of the Middle East and the Caribbean are collectively expected to account for around 45% of international travellers.

Spain is already closing the gap

France remains number one today and its latest figures underline the scale of that achievement.

As Travel Tomorrow reported earlier this year, France welcomed 102 million international visitors in 2025, compared with 100 million in 2024. Those travellers generated 743 million overnight stays, while international tourism receipts reached a record €77.5 billion, an increase of 9% year-on-year.

France therefore still welcomed around five million more international visitors than Spain in 2025.

Spain earned €134.7 billion from international tourists in 2025, up 6.8% from €126.3 billion in 2024, according to official Spanish figures. That means Spain generated considerably more international visitor spending despite receiving fewer tourists.

El turismo internacional se mantiene como un motor clave de nuestra economía.

En el primer semestre, España recibió la visita de 46,6 M de turistas internacionales (+4,6% que en 2025), quienes realizaron un gasto de más de 63.800 M € (+7%).

https://t.co/B5b9o5WET0 pic.twitter.com/vbimq9mKNZ

— Ministerio de Industria y Turismo (@minturgob) August 3, 2026

Part of the difference comes from length of stay. International visitors to Spain tend to remain longer than those travelling to France, allowing accommodation, restaurants, attractions and other tourism businesses to capture more spending per trip.

The comparison also highlights one of the increasingly important questions facing mature tourism destinations: is success best measured by the number of people who cross the border, or by the economic, social and environmental value generated by each visitor?

France itself is increasingly emphasising the latter. Its tourism authorities aim to increase international tourism receipts to €100 billion by 2030 while positioning the country as a leading sustainable destination, rather than simply focusing on maintaining the highest arrival figures. Spain is moving in a similar direction.

From record arrivals to ‘calm growth’

Spain’s rise has been driven by a combination of factors that are difficult for competitors to replicate: an enormous tourism infrastructure, strong aviation connectivity, beaches and islands, major cultural cities, a broad hotel supply and a climate that allows tourism to operate throughout much of the year.

Its tourism geography is also remarkably diverse. Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Valencia and Málaga compete alongside the Canary and Balearic Islands, the Mediterranean coast, northern Spain, historic inland cities and increasingly popular rural and nature destinations.

Changing travel patterns are helping too. Shoulder-season tourism is growing, while warmer temperatures and changing traveller preferences are making spring, autumn and even winter increasingly attractive periods for visiting southern Europe.

But Spain’s government has begun signalling that it does not want the next chapter of tourism growth simply to be a race towards ever greater numbers.

Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu has described the preferred model as “calm growth”, with authorities seeking to spread visitors geographically and seasonally rather than concentrating ever larger numbers in the country’s established hotspots.

As Travel Tomorrow reported when looking at Spain’s prospects of reaching 100 million visitors in 2026, the government has been promoting inland destinations, gastronomy, nature, cultural tourism and travel outside the traditional summer peak.

This year’s total solar eclipse has provided one example of how a major event can redirect international visitors towards rural and lesser-known parts of the country.

Yet if Deloitte and Google are right and Spain eventually reaches 110 million annual visitors, redistribution will become more than a marketing objective. It will be an economic and political necessity.

The overtourism paradox

Spain’s rise to the top of world tourism would represent an extraordinary commercial success. But it would also sharpen one of the country’s most difficult debates.

Anti-overtourism demonstrations have become a recurring feature in Barcelona, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands and other heavily visited destinations. Protesters have focused on housing shortages, short-term holiday rentals, congestion, pressure on public services, water use and the perception that local communities increasingly bear the costs of a tourism industry whose benefits are unevenly distributed.

The Spanish authorities have responded with measures at national, regional and municipal level.

The government has ordered tens of thousands of properties that failed to meet requirements for tourist and seasonal accommodation to be removed from the relevant rental register. Barcelona intends to end licences for around 10,000 tourist apartments by 2028, effectively eliminating the city’s legal short-term apartment stock under the current system.

Cruise tourism has also come under greater scrutiny. Barcelona has already reduced the number of terminals used by cruise ships in its central port area, while other cities are examining ways to manage passenger flows.

In the Balearic Islands, tighter restrictions have targeted alcohol-fuelled tourism and party boats, while Málaga has launched campaigns asking visitors to respect local residents, keep noise down and behave appropriately in public spaces.

These interventions show the contradiction at the heart of the 2040 forecast.

For national tourism accounts, another 10 or 15 million tourists represent billions of euros in additional economic activity. At neighbourhood level, however, the same growth may translate into additional pressure on rents, transport systems, beaches, historic centres and natural resources.

Spain therefore faces the challenge of becoming the world’s most visited country without allowing the volume of tourism to undermine the very qualities that make people want to visit.

France is unlikely to surrender its crown quietly

It would also be premature to regard Spain’s takeover as inevitable.

Forecasts extending to 2040 inevitably depend on assumptions about economic growth, population, aviation, climate change, geopolitics, disposable income and the expansion of the global middle class.

France also possesses formidable structural advantages.

Paris remains one of the world’s most powerful destination brands, but French tourism extends far beyond the capital. The Alps, Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, wine regions, villages, gastronomy, cultural heritage and extensive rail network give the country an extraordinarily broad tourism offer.

France is also attempting to distribute tourism more evenly through wine tourism, agritourism, memorial tourism, nature tourism and lesser-known regional destinations.

After receiving 102 million international tourists in 2025, it needs only modest growth to reach Deloitte and Google’s 105 million forecast for 2040. Spain, by contrast, would need to accommodate around 13 million more international arrivals than in 2025 to reach 110 million.

In numerical terms, neither projection looks particularly radical. The real question is what happens between those figures.

Being number one may no longer be the most important target

For decades, tourism rankings have rewarded volume. The country receiving the largest number of international arrivals takes the crown, generating headlines and political prestige.

But the Spain-France comparison increasingly exposes the limitations of that metric. Spain already generates substantially more international tourism expenditure than France despite welcoming fewer visitors. Both countries are simultaneously trying to increase tourism revenues while reducing congestion, spreading demand into different regions and seasons, and mitigating the impact on residents.

The global tourism industry itself is changing. By 2040, hundreds of millions of additional people are expected to travel internationally, fuelled particularly by the expansion of middle classes in Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa.

That creates an enormous economic opportunity for Europe. It also means that destinations already dealing with overtourism cannot simply assume that absorbing more visitors is the objective.

Spain may indeed overtake France and become the world’s most visited country by 2040. At its current rate of growth, it could even happen considerably sooner.

But the more consequential test will not be whether Spain reaches 110 million tourists, or whether France manages to remain ahead.

It will be whether Europe’s two tourism superpowers can demonstrate that record demand can coexist with affordable housing, liveable cities, protected natural resources and communities that continue to see tourism as an asset rather than a burden.

By 2040, that may be a far more meaningful measure of tourism leadership than the number at the top of an arrivals table.

L’article Spain to overtake France as world’s most visited country by 2040, study predicts  est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.