Around 8 out of 10 Europeans (75%) are planning intra-European trips between June and November 2024, an increase of 6% compared to the same period last year, with the Mediterranean dominating the choices and Greece being the fourth preferred destination. This is revealed in the latest European Travel Commission (ETC) report on travel within Europe this summer and autumn.
Greece is in the top five of the most popular travel destinations among European citizens, with a share of around 6% (5.9% to be precise), while it also tops the list of European destinations that attract the highest percentage (28%) of new travellers.
The report entitled “Monitoring Sentiment for Intra-European Travel – Wave 19” finds that Europeans’ increased interest in intra-European travel is particularly driven by the high desire of Spanish (81%), Italian (81%) and British (80%) travellers during the period June-November 2024.
The study also reveals that 36% of Europeans plan to take a trip in the coming months, up 6% compared to last year. Another 33% will take a second trip, while only 24% plan to take three or more trips, perhaps indicating that economic conditions continue to influence travellers’ behaviour.
Southern Europe remains a top holiday choice
Demand is strong for destinations in the South, with most European travellers (45%) choosing warmer destinations. Interest in the European South is stable compared to 2023, but is down 10% compared to 2022. Meanwhile, western (18%) and northern (13%) destinations continue to show strong demand.
As far as European destinations are concerned, the first choice of Europeans is Spain, with a share of 7.8%, followed by Italy with 7.6%, France with 7%, Greece with 5.9% and Germany with 4.6%.
This can be partly explained by travellers’ consistent preference for sun and beach trips, with 19% choosing this type of holiday as their preferred holiday for the next six months. This is followed by culture and heritage-focused trips (17%), nature and countryside trips (14%) and city trips (13%).
Safety continues to be the main factor in choosing a destination (16%), followed by pleasant weather (13%), opportunities (11%), friendly locals and stable temperatures (both 8%).
Peak travel periods continue to be popular with European holidaymakers. Most travellers surveyed intend to take a trip in the summer months: 45% will travel in June and July and 39% will opt for August and September. Only 12% intend to travel in October and November, suggesting that the heatwaves and crowds that affected parts of Europe in the summer of 2023 are not largely affecting European travellers’ plans this year.
Air travel first in preference
The plane is the most popular means of transport for travelling between European countries. Flights are preferred by more than half of Europeans (54%), up 5% on last year. This can be partly explained by excellent air connectivity and the availability of low-cost flights to a wide range of destinations across Europe. Travellers from the UK (73%), Spain (68%) and Italy (62%) are more likely to fly to their next holiday destinations.
Road travel is the second most popular option, with 28% of Europeans choosing to travel by car – a slight decrease from 2023 (30%). This trend is particularly strong among Germans (40%), Belgians (38%) and Austrians (35%).
Train travel remains stable at 10%.
Economic constraints, weather concerns and digital decision-making
The biggest concerns for travellers in summer and autumn 2024 include the high cost of travel (21%, down 3% year-on-year), personal finance (16%) and geopolitical issues ( 11% are worried about the Russia-Ukraine war and 10% about tensions in the Middle East).
Extreme weather events and transport disruptions are also major concerns for 10% of Europeans looking to travel in the coming months.
From this year, the research also delves deeper into the impact of climate events on travellers’ choices. 76% of respondents say they are adjusting their travel habits in response to climate change. 17% say they will avoid destinations with extreme temperatures, rising to 32% for those over 55, suggesting that older travellers are more concerned about coping with soaring temperatures.
Overall, 16% of travellers prefer places with stable weather, 15% monitor weather forecasts and 11% choose activities that are not weather dependent.
Almost all European travellers use digital sources for their travel plans, with online search engines and travel websites being the most popular. Although some travel companies are introducing artificial intelligence (AI) tools into their apps, only 6% of holidaymakers say they use AI-based tools for their planning.
It is the younger generation that predominantly uses AI, with 42% of travellers using AI apps for itinerary planning and 35% of those using AI platforms for travel purposes falling into the 25-34 age group.
