Summer travel to Europe has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, according to data from travel research firm ForwardKeys.
London leads the surge with a 5% increase in flight searches for European travel, closely followed by Paris, particularly due to early planning for the Olympic Games.
Other European cities like Istanbul, Rome, and Milan are also seeing a rise in popularity, while destinations in Spain and Greece, including Athens, are losing ground after initial post-pandemic demand.
Tenerife, in the Canary islands, and Izmir, in Turkey, are emerging as top choices among mid-range destinations, while Northern European cities like Reykjavik, Iceland, and Munich in Germany are gaining traction, likely due to their cooler summer temperatures.
In Eastern Europe, Albanian Tirana and Tbilisi in Georgia continue to attract both European and Russian tourists, building on their recent success.
Interestingly, travelers are showing a preference for nature-based and urban destinations over traditional sun-and-beach spots. This trend is evident in the increased international arrivals to Central/Eastern Europe (+25%), Western Europe (+15%), and Northern Europe (+13%) compared to Southern Europe (+11%).
Additionally, outbound travel from Europe is on the rise, with increased intra-European travel (+14%) and long-haul journeys to various Asian markets (+16%).
