Skift Take
Sun, savings and sport are all factors driving Europe’s tourism recovery.
Elizabeth Casolo
A recent report from the European Travel Commission found that Europe approached pre-pandemic tourism levels last year, but some countries are beginning to exceed them in early 2024.
While not all European countries share data on foreign visitors, some countries welcomed more tourists earlier this year than they did during the same period in 2019. Based on data from reporting countries, foreign arrivals increased by 7.2 percent, while foreign overnight stays increased by 6.5 percent.
Here are some key players to watch as Europe recovers:
Southern/Mediterranean Europe
Serbia has had the highest growth rate in international visitor numbers since 2019.
“Serbia stands out as a growth destination, with tourism activity again this year significantly exceeding 2019 and even higher than last year, giving us confidence that this is not a temporary post-COVID surge,” the report said.
International visitor numbers to Turkey and Malta also increased significantly in the first quarter of 2024 compared to pre-pandemic levels. According to the European Travel Commission, these southern European destinations are likely to come out on top thanks to their warmer, milder climates and more affordable prices.
Michelle Buttigieg, North American representative for the Malta Tourism Board, said Malta was one of the first countries to adopt digital nomad programs. From a U.S. or Canadian perspective, Malta’s climate and atmosphere are also attractive.
“The North American market has seen a dramatic increase in the number of American and Canadian travelers to Malta since the pandemic,” Buttigieg said in a statement. The Malta Tourism Board reported that the number of American visitors in 2023 is on track to be 35% higher than in 2022.
Visa restrictions limit Russian travel elsewhere in Europe, but easier access for Russians to Turkey and Serbia could boost tourism to those destinations, the report said.
International Arrivals Year-to-date Percentage Change
CountryEarly 2024 Compared to 2019Overall 2023 Compared to 2019Serbia46.9%15.6%Turkey35.3%9.2%Malta34.8%8.1%
Source: European Travel Commission / TourMIS (http://www.tourmis.info)
Western Europe
Forecasts suggest tourist spending across Europe will be even higher this year than in 2019, especially on food and drink, due to inflation.
Another reason for the huge spending has to do with major sporting events taking place in Europe: France is preparing for the Olympics and Germany will host the UEFA European Championship.
The report said tourist numbers and spending may differ in Paris compared to other parts of France.
“One reason for this is the relatively high cost of living in Paris, including a backdrop of inflation and financial caution among travelers, as well as high hotel rates, which may encourage substitution to destinations outside Paris,” the report continued. Oxford Economics and Haver Analytics estimated that the inbound spending rate across France will be higher than the rate for Paris alone.
Unlike France, Germany failed to fully recover earlier this year, with easyJet cutting some of its German flights during the pandemic, affecting air traffic.
But the championship could spur change: UEFA events would be spread across Germany, making the economic impact more decentralised.
However, despite its increased popularity among Australians and Canadians, Monaco was consistently ranked as one of the worst performing destinations for visitors from the Dutch, British, Italian and German markets this year.
Like all other countries featured in the report, Monaco saw higher international tourist arrivals and overnight stays in 2023 than in 2022. Still, growth rates in both categories were among the lowest.
“Several external factors are affecting the Principality, including the prolonged conflicts in Eastern Europe and the slow recovery of the international tourism market in Asia,” Guy Antonelli, director of tourism at Monaco’s Tourist and Convention Authority, said in a statement. “In particular, the main reason for the decline in visitor numbers and international overnight stays is the sharp decline in business events such as conferences and corporate meetings.” Germany faces similar challenges, according to the report.
International Arrivals Year-to-date Percentage Change
CountryEarly 2024 vs. 2019Overall 2023 vs. 2019France 2.0%2.0%Monaco -11.8%-7.2%Germany -12.5%-12.4%
Source: European Travel Commission / TourMIS (http://www.tourmis.info)
Central, Eastern and Northern Europe
Bulgaria Latvia Lithuania Estonia Finland
Bulgaria is off to a promising start to 2024. Like Serbia, “Bulgaria’s tourism industry is benefiting from strong winter and summer seasons,” according to the report.
But recovery has been slower in many countries close to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Nonetheless, Latvia is a unique exception and continues to attract strong interest from the US and Brazilian markets.
International Arrivals Year-to-date Percentage Change
CountryEarly 2024Compared to 2019Overall 2023Compared to 2019Bulgaria38.8%0.6%Finland-9.0%-22.2%Lithuania-14.0%-29.3%Estonia-15.1%-25.9%Latvia-33.5%-28.6%
Source: European Travel Commission / TourMIS (http://www.tourmis.info)
