skift take
Sunshine, savings and sport are all factors driving Europe’s tourism recovery.
— Elizabeth Casolo
Europe nearly reached pre-pandemic tourism levels last year, but some countries will begin to exceed them by early 2024, according to a recent report from the European Travel Board.
Although not all countries in Europe share data on foreign visits, some countries received more tourists earlier this year than during the same period in 2019. Based on data from reporting countries, the number of foreign arrivals increased by 7.2% and the number of foreign overnight guests increased by 6.5%.
Here are the key players to watch as Europe returns:
Southern/Mediterranean Europe
Serbia had the highest growth rate in international arrivals since 2019.
“Serbia continues to stand out as a growth destination this year, as tourism activity is significantly higher than in 2019 and even higher than last year. We are confident that this is not a temporary surge post-COVID-19 ” states the report.
The number of international arrivals to Turkiye and Malta also increased significantly in the first quarter of 2024 compared to pre-pandemic levels. According to the European Travel Council, these southern European destinations are likely to lead the way thanks to their warm, mild climate and more affordable price points.
Michelle Buttigieg, head of North America at Malta Tourism, said Malta was an early adopter of the digital nomad program. Even from an American or Canadian perspective, Malta’s climate and atmosphere are attractive.
“We in the North American market have seen a dramatic increase in the number of American and Canadian travelers to Malta following the pandemic,” Buttigieg said in a statement. The Malta Tourism Board reported a 35% increase in visitors from the United States in 2023 compared to 2022.
Russian travelers were restricted due to visa restrictions in other parts of Europe. However, the ease of access to Turkiye and Serbia for Russians may have boosted tourism in these destinations, the report said.
Change in international arrivals since the beginning of the year (%)
Country Early 2024 compared to 2019 Total 2023 compared to 2019 Serbia 46.9% 15.6% Turkiye 35.3% 9.2% Malta 34.8% 8.1%
Source: European Travel Council / TourMIS (http://www.tourmis.info)
western europe
Forecasts suggest that tourist spending across Europe will increase further this year, particularly on food and drink, compared to 2019. It comes down to inflation.
Another reason for the high spending has to do with the major sporting events held in Europe. France is preparing for the Olympics, and Germany is scheduled to host the UEFA European Championship.
Arrivals and spending may differ between the rest of France and Paris, the report said.
“One of the reasons for this is the relatively high cost of living in Paris, due to the inflationary backdrop and the financial caution of travelers, as well as the rising cost of hotel rooms. may occur,” the report continued. Oxford Economics and Haver Analytics estimate that the inbound spending rate for all of France will be higher than that for Paris alone.
Unlike France, Germany did not make a full recovery in the first months of this year. EasyJet has reduced some of its flights to Germany during the pandemic, impacting air traffic.
But the championship could prompt change. UEFA events are distributed throughout Germany, leading to a more distributed economic impact.
However, despite its popularity among Australians and Canadians, Monaco consistently ranked as the worst-performing destination for visitors from the Dutch, British, Italian and German markets this year. Ta.
Like all other countries listed in the report, the number of international arrivals and overnight stays in Monaco was higher in 2023 than in 2022. Still, its growth was among the slowest in both categories.
“Several external factors are affecting the Principality. These include the persistent conflict in Eastern Europe and the gradual recovery of the Asian outbound market,” said Monaco Tourism and Convention Authority. Director Guy Antonelli said in a statement. “In particular, the main factor contributing to the decline in both arrivals and overnight stays abroad is the sharp decline in business events such as conferences and corporate meetings.” Germany faces similar challenges, according to the report. It is said that they are doing so.
Change in international arrivals since the beginning of the year (%)
Country Early 2024 compared to 2019 Total 2023 compared to 2019 France 2.0% 2.0% Monaco – 11.8% – 7.2% Germany – 12.5% - 12.4%
Source: European Travel Council / TourMIS (http://www.tourmis.info)
Central/Eastern and Northern Europe
Bulgaria Latvia Lithuania Estonia Finland
Bulgaria has made a good start to 2024. Similar to Serbia, “the tourism industry benefits from favorable seasons in both winter and summer,” the report said.
However, recovery has been slow in many countries close to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Nevertheless, Latvia is an outlier in its own right. The country still has high interest from the US and Brazilian markets.
Change in international arrivals since the beginning of the year (%)
Countries Compared to 2019 Early 2024 Compared to whole 2023 2019 Bulgaria 38.8% 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 Council / TourMIS (http://www.tourmis.info)
Photo courtesy of Serbia.
