European Tourism reaches new highs in 2024: Portugal highlighted on European Travel Commission

Source: European Travel Commission etc.org

Europe’s tourism industry continued its recovery in the second quarter of 2024. Foreign arrivals (+6%) and overnights (+7%) surpassed 2019 figures, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 12% and 10%, respectively. The growth is propelled by robust intra-regional travel from Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands. This is according to the latest edition of the ‘European Tourism Trends & Prospects’ quarterly report released today by the European Travel Commission (ETC). This report monitors the performance of European tourism in the second quarter of 2024, providing a comprehensive analysis of the region’s latest tourism and macroeconomic developments.

Established and emerging Southern European destinations maintain appeal

Year-to-date data indicates that both traditional and non-traditional Southern European and Mediterranean destinations continue to be the most popular choices for tourists in Europe. Notable increases in arrivals compared to 2019 levels were recorded in lesser-known destinations such as Serbia (+40%) and Bulgaria (+29%), as well as long-standing favorites including Malta (+37%), Portugal (+26%) and Türkiye (+22%). The ongoing success of these destinations is partially due to their common offer of value-for-money experiences and generally favourable weather conditions.

Europe and in destinations that are relatively more expensive. The accommodation sector especially benefitted in the first half of the year with revenue per available room up 5.4% and occupancy rates up 1.8%. The report identifies an increasing diversification of European tourism, with emerging destinations and source markets growing their market share. Contributing factors include the search for value for money in non-traditional destinations, the return of travelers from the Asia-Pacific region, and the increasing availability of rail travel.

Though the US remains the best-performing long-haul source market, there is a notable uptake from East Asian markets, especially China. European cities are proving a particular draw for Chinese visitors, as China is expected to become the fastest-growing source market for city destinations in 2025, overtaking the US. There is also an increase in the number of travellers choosing off-season travel and lesser-known destinations, driven by the search for value for money and unique, authentic experiences. 

Increasing interest in traveling off the beaten track is also reflected in online conversations about European travel, which highlighted the appeal of natural island settings, such as Madeira in Portugal and Magerøya in Norway. Both of these countries saw a corresponding increase in arrivals and overnights. Sustainability was a key positive reputation driver for destinations this quarter, while more negative discourse focussed on the social and environmental impacts of overcrowding in traditional tourism hotspots.

At the same time, the growth of rail capacity is opening the door for travelers to explore new experiences and destinations. Eurostar services have returned to pre-pandemic passenger levels, and Spanish rail operator Renfe reported selling 500,000 tickets within six months of launching its international line to France. All three of these operators have plans to expand capacity in the coming years, highlighting rail’s growing importance in European tourism.

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