ETC: summer arrivals to Europe up 3% as EU publishes Sustainable Tourism Strategy

International tourist arrivals to Europe rose 3% over the summer compared with the same period in 2025, according to the European Travel Commission's European Tourism: Trends & Prospects report for Q3/2026. ETC said 80% of European destinations recorded more foreign visits than a year earlier.

Smaller and value-for-money destinations led growth, though from a lower base. Malta (+18%), Slovakia (+15%), Ireland (+13%) and Poland (+11%) posted double-digit gains, as did Romania and Montenegro (both +10%). The largest markets grew more slowly, with arrivals up 5% in Spain, 3% in France and 1% in Italy. Northern Europe led the regions, with nights up 7.2% and arrivals up 6.2%. Cyprus was an exception, with arrivals down 7% after flight disruption linked to the Middle East conflict and safety concerns following a drone incident.

Spending outpaced arrivals in several markets, partly reflecting higher prices. In Hungary spending rose 20.1% against a 2.5% rise in arrivals, helped by a stronger forint. ETC expects higher energy prices, Middle East airspace restrictions and eurozone wage growth slightly below inflation to make travellers more price-sensitive and book later this winter and into 2027. Rising costs were the top concern for 50% of surveyed tourism professionals.

The report also points to a longer season. The gap between the share of visits in Q1 and Q3 is expected to narrow from an average of 22.5% in 2010-15 to 20.4% in 2027, and to 13.6% from 19.0% in Central and Eastern Europe.

The European Commission published its Sustainable Tourism Strategy on 4 November 2026, which includes a target of balancing tourist flows across the year. ETC welcomed it as "a positive first step" towards multi-level governance and closer cooperation with tourism stakeholders.