Despite the high prices and tension, the desire to travel among Europeans reaches its highest levels Tourism and travel

Europeans’ desires to travel during the spring and summer of 2026 recorded their highest levels since 2020, an indication of the continued recovery of the European tourism sector despite the tension and economic pressures that cast a shadow on travelers’ decisions.

A recent report by the European Travel Commission showed that 82% of Europeans plan to travel between April and September 2026, an increase of 10% compared to last year, which is the highest level recorded in the past six years.

The report indicated that European youth constitute the most prominent driver of this growth, as the age group between 18 and 24 years recorded the largest increase in travel planning, at 21% compared to last year, followed by the group between 25 and 34 years, with an increase of 16%.

Despite the increase in demand for travel, data showed that tourist behavior has become more cautious and selective, with a clear trend towards reducing the duration of trips and reducing the budgets allocated to them.

Trips lasting between 4 and 6 nights have become the most popular choice among European travelers, while the percentage of those planning longer stays ranging from a week to 12 days has declined.

The report also revealed an increasing tendency towards moderate spending, as the percentage of travelers who allocate up to a thousand euros (about 1,080 dollars) per trip increased, compared to a decrease in the percentage of those who plan to spend 1,500 euros (about 1,620 dollars) or more, in a clear reflection of the increasing sensitivity to travel costs and the search for greater value in exchange for spending.

At the same time, Europeans tend to travel less, as 39% of them plan to take only one trip in the next six months, an increase of 7% compared to last year, while the percentage of those who intend to travel twice or more has decreased.

Safety first

According to the report, safety has become the most important factor in choosing tourist destinations, followed by stable climate conditions and appropriate offers in terms of cost, while concerns related to high prices are still one of the most prominent factors influencing travel decisions, in addition to the escalation of anxiety related to tension in the Middle East.

Despite these challenges, Europeans continue to prefer traveling within the continent, with an increasing trend towards cross-border trips within Europe, along with a greater interest in exploring more than one city within the same country rather than moving between several countries, which reflects a desire to have deeper and more diverse experiences within one destination.

The report’s results reflect a European tourism scene that combines a continued strong desire to travel with increasing caution in spending and planning, in light of a more complex economic and political environment than previous years.