A report by ForwardKeys says that Europe’s travel demand has returned to its pre-pandemic levels, but there is still significant differences in the travellers’ behaviour.

There is a robust recovery in demand for summer travel across Europe, says travel intelligence firm ForwardKeys in its outlook for summer 2024. 

According to a press statement by ForwardKeys, analysis of flight searches from January to April 2024 shows London, accounting for 5 pc of share of flight searches for travel to Europe, benefits from the greatest relative increase in share of searches for travel in summer 2024, up 1.9 percentage points. The statement adds that this positive trend signifies a full return to pre-pandemic travel levels, with notable shifts in travellers’ preferences. 

The study shows that growth is driven by the collateral excitement of the Paris Olympics, with easily available transport links to the French capital. Paris itself shows similar popularity with 0.5 percentage points increase, although its share of searches is slightly lower as many visitors to the Games will have planned direct travel further in advance. 

The statement adds that Istanbul is up 0.4 p.p., Rome by 0.7 p.p. and Milan has surged by 0.7 p.p. gain in relative popularity while destinations in Spain, Greece and Portugal, including Athens, Lisbon, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca lose ground after enjoying great demand in the post-Covid years, reflecting shifting preferences among European travellers. 

The study adds that some destinations are bucking this trend, including Tenerife, which are witnessing the largest surge in interest among mid-tier destinations. 

It has also witnessed a growing interest in European cities such as Reykjavik and Munich. According to the report, this reflects the popularity of destinations with cooler summer temperatures among vacationers. In Eastern Europe, Tirana continues to grow in popularity, building on success in recent years, and is joined by Yerevan and Tbilisi, popular among both European and Russian tourists, due to the combination of natural and cultural heritage available and affordable prices. 

Analysis of forward ticketing data for travel to European city destinations in July and August 2024 reveals a shift in consumer preferences towards nature, which has risen by 19 pc and urban destinations by 14 pc, more than the growth in the traditional sun and beach destinations that have risen by 8 pc. This is reflected at a subregional level as year-on-year growth in international arrivals to Central/Eastern Europe at 25 pc, Western Europe, up by 15 pc, and Northern Europe rising by 13 pc, which outstrip Southern Europe which has risen by 11 pc. 

European Outbound Travellers Focus on Asian Destinations

Outbound travel from Europe is also displaying clear trends, with year-on-year growth in intra-European travel that has risen by 14 pc and long-haul travel to a diverse range of Asian markets that is up by 16 pc. 

The report adds that forward ticket data for July and August indicates that European travellers are increasingly choosing to venture further afield to explore the landscapes and cultures of Beijing at about 132 pc in particular, as well as Osaka at about 66 pc, Bangkok is up 21 pc and Colombo up by 20 pc. The report says that these destinations benefit from various factors, including improved connectivity, visa waivers for Europeans entering China, and the favourable Euro to Yen exchange rate. Moderate growth in demand for US markets Chicago that has risen by 14 pc and Miami, up 9 pc is also notable. 

“Overall, the picture is positive for destinations worldwide looking to attract lucrative European tourism over the coming years. With the disruption to demand and bookings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic now firmly in the past, the 2024 summer season looks likely to set a new benchmark for European travel both within the region and beyond,” says Olivier Ponti, Director of Intelligence and Marketing at ForwardKeys.

“It is a huge relief to finally be able to move forward with new travel trends, free of the shadow of the pandemic. The return in demand for urban destinations is a most welcome development, and it is encouraging to see our predictions of the halo effect of the Paris Olympics for London being borne out in the data. I look forward to discussing these trends further during our joint webinar with ForwardKeys in June,” says Rachel Read, Director of Insight at ETOA.