The European Travel Commission (ETC) revealed the latest trends on domestic and intra-European travel.
The ETC latest research shows that inflation and rising travel costs have become the leading concerns among holidaymakers across Europe, worrying 18% of respondents. Consequently, bargains and attractive deals are more important to Europeans when selecting their next holiday destination.
However, travel confidence is growing despite concerns over increasing travel costs, the Russo-Ukrainian crisis, and the ongoing pandemic.
It is encouraging to see the travel sector in Europe rebound strongly, providing optimism for an exciting summer for European destinations. Still, we cannot ignore the challenges that remain in the months ahead.
Luís Araújo, President of ETC
73% of Europeans are planning to embark on a holiday between June and November 2022, and 53% of respondents have fully or partially booked their next trip.
34% of respondents will take only one trip, while others are considering taking multiple trips, with 38% of respondents planning on traveling twice, and 20% planning on taking more than three trips.
58% of respondents are interested in visiting other European destinations. Notably, 31% of respondents will head to an adjacent European country and 27% to a non-neighbouring one. The most popular travel destinations remain Spain, France and Italy, followed by Greece and Croatia, which enter the top five for the first time.
The booking window remains narrow. Most Europeans plan on traveling during August and September (42%), and June and July (41%) with the majority favoring stays of between 4-9 nights. Deciding factors when choosing a travel destination include pleasant weather, attractive deals, and fewer crowds. Travelers look forward to spending time in nature, tasting the local food, and immersing themselves into the destination’s lifestyle.
Over one-third of Europeans declare that their travel plans are unaffected by the Covid-19 virus. Although geopolitical tensions have not impacted the larger share (44%) of Europeans with travel plans, a noticeable 31% have modified their trips due to the war in Ukraine while only 4% have completely canceled their holidays.
These insights come from the latest research on Monitoring Sentiment for Domestic and Intra-European Travel – Wave 12 by the European Travel Commission (ETC), which provides insights into Europeans’ short-term travel intentions and preferences.
