The recovery of travel in Europe continued to show positive signs in the second quarter of 2023, thanks to strong consumer demand despite persistent inflation and rising travel costs. Despite the economic scenario, international tourist arrivals in Europe maintained a positive trend, with a recovery that reached around 95% of 2019 levels. This growth was mainly driven by the US market, which confirms itself as the long-term market strongest beam to Europe this year.
The recovery of air traffic in Europe has followed a positive trend, getting ever closer to pre-pandemic levels in mid-June, just in time for the summer season, which runs from June to August. Expenditure for travel is still considered a priority compared to other discretionary expenses. In fact, 25% of European destinations that provided data have already exceeded pre-pandemic foreign arrival levels.
The “European Tourism: Trends & Prospects” report for Q2 2023, released today by the European Tourism Commission (ETC), offers an in-depth analysis of the latest tourism and macroeconomic developments in the region.
Miguel Sanz, President of the ETC, commented following the publication of the report: “It is encouraging to see the positive recovery of international tourist arrivals in the first half of 2023. As a result, European destinations need to be prepared to effectively manage the increased demand and returning travellers. Tourism strategies need to embrace travel dispersion in order to support destinations in tackling overcrowding, while also helping to distribute the benefits of tourism to less traveled areas. Tourism can and should be harnessed as a social, economic and sustainable force for the common good”.
Consumers are becoming increasingly price sensitive. Despite the economic difficulties, as mentioned, travelers still show a strong demand for travel. Therefore, it’s no surprise that price sensitivity will continue to benefit destinations that offer the most value for money. Recent data up to May shows that value-for-money destinations are doing well, with Serbia (+27%), Bulgaria (+21%), Montenegro (+12%) and Turkey (+9%) among the first to lead the recovery.
US leads recovery of overseas travel to Europe. US travelers, taking advantage of favorable exchange rates, are expected to lead the recovery of many European destinations this summer. The most recent data shows that 52% of destinations that have provided information have already exceeded pre-pandemic levels of US tourist arrivals this year. With high inflation and a possible recession weighing on American households, affordability will be a key factor when choosing travel destinations in Europe.
Southern Mediterranean destinations such as Portugal (+79%), Turkey (+78%) and Montenegro (+43%) saw significant growth in arrivals from the US market. In Eastern Europe, Latvia (+135%) and Poland (+51%) also recorded significant increases in arrivals from the United States. In the case of Latvia, the significant increases could be linked to visits by friends and relatives from the Latvian diaspora living outside Europe, while the flow of journalists covering the war in Ukraine and of volunteers and military personnel could contribute to performance of Poland.
With the recovery of tourism in Europe, the camping sector could greatly benefit from these positive trends. Destinations that offer good value for money and are less busy may attract more tourists, including travelers from the United States. Plus, with flight capacity approaching pre-pandemic levels, camping could be a favorite option for travelers looking for an affordable and safe vacation in Europe.
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