Visitors from Asia Pacific and the US Add to Europe’s Tourism Growth this Summer

Photo source: ForwardKeys

Europe is set for an exceptional summer, with inbound tourism projected to surpass previous records, according to recent data released by travel intelligence provider ForwardKeys.

Overall, international arrivals to Europe in July and August show year-on-year growth of +12 percent, just above the global average (+11 percent).

According to ForwardKeys, the growth is driven primarily by intra-regional travel — up +10 percent compared to 2023 — and a significant influx of visitors from long-haul markets in Asia Pacific (+11 percent) and the United States (+21 percent).

“Europe is demonstrating a tourism recovery comfortably above the global average,” an announcement by the travel intelligence provider notes.

ForwardKeys’ optimistic forecast is driven by rapid reactivation of Central and Eastern Europe, the dominance of urban city destinations due to the impact of major events, the resurgence of travel from Asia Pacific and a significant influx of visitors from the US.

Central and Eastern Europe growing fastest after slow reactivation

Central and Eastern Europe are witnessing the fastest growth in inbound tourism after a delayed reactivation period due to the war in Ukraine. This summer, the region expects a remarkable 23 percent increase in tourist volumes compared to last year. Northern Europe is also on track to grow at a faster rate (+12 percent) than Southern European destinations (+10 percent), reflecting a broader trend of recovery across all European subregions.

Asia Pacific Reactivates, Powered by China and Japan

The Asia Pacific region is beginning to show signs of reactivation, with impressive growth in arrivals coming from China (+64 percent) and Japan (+53 percent) compared to 2023. Although overall volumes are still below pre-pandemic levels, improvements in air connectivity have led to a surge in travel from these countries.

China in particular is responsible for a much larger share of seat capacity than pre-pandemic (+12 p.p.), in part due to China—US connectivity remaining limited, meaning that Chinese airlines are deploying their widebody fleet on routes into Europe instead.

Multi-destination trips are also in demand from the Asia Pacific market this summer. Standout city pairings include Budapest—Vienna (+118 percent), Milan—Munich (+106 percent), Prague—Amsterdam (+71 percent) and Istanbul—Athens (+63 percent) reflecting the popularity of urban European destinations for Asian travellers looking to combine cultural, historic and shopping activities.

Events continue to drive up demand

Events are playing a crucial role in driving up tourism demand resulting to urban city destinations leading the charge in Europe’s tourism revival, outpacing traditional sun and beach holidays.

Arrivals to Germany — hosts of the UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament — show growth of +19 percent compared with the same period in 2023. Demand for travel during the Olympic Games in Paris is also higher than last year, with top-performing markets including China (+124 percent), Japan (+57 percent), Germany (+32 percent), and the US (+25 percent).