4 trends point to positive outlook for major European markets

Consumers in the U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Spain consistently rank travel as their highest-priority discretionary spending area, across a range of possible categories for spending their discretionary income. However, there are key differences in travel behavior across these markets.

According to Phocuswright’s latest travel research report Europe Consumer Travel 2023: Major Markets Compared, the outlook for travel in the next 12 months is generally positive for all major markets. Here are 4 trends that the research has uncovered:

• Nearly all travelers in all countries expect to take at least one trip.
• German travelers are the most likely to intend international travel, while those in Italy and Spain are most likely to stay domestic.
• French travelers have a lower intention of booking both hotel and air, possibly due to their higher cost-sensitivity.
• In contrast, Germans, being least sensitive, exhibit a higher intention to travel abroad.

This report is based on a comprehensive survey of U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Spain consumers who traveled in 2022, along with those who planned to travel in 2023. It compares these European markets’ consumer trip-planning and purchasing behavior, including the impact of emerging technologies on the travel planning process, as well as their expectations and goals for travel looking forward.

Explore the heart of European travel trends

Delve into the dynamics of European travel with the Europe Consumer Travel Report 2024. This comprehensive study provides an in-depth analysis of traveler trends, behaviors, and preferences across Europe’s diverse landscapes. From bustling metropolises to serene countryside, understand what drives today’s European traveler.

Learn more about what's inside the report here.

For more on the dynamic European consumer travel landscape, check out our Europe Consumer Travel Report 2023 series.

For further intelligence for you and your entire company, subscribe to Phocuswright Open Access. This subscription puts the entire Phocuswright research library and powerful data visualization tools at your fingertips. There’s a reason executives around the world trust and reference Phocuswright research and data on a daily basis. Explore for yourself why.

Plus, we just redesigned Phocal Point, the powerful data visualization tool that now makes it easier to access and interpret Phocuswright data.

It's all about the data. With an updated navigation interface, new dynamic filtering, additional segment and channel breakouts in select markets and rich detailed views of 35+ markets, Phocal Point allows you to create custom interactive charts and view travel data by segment, channel, device, region and country. Our proprietary travel industry market sizing data allows you to look to the future with projections through 2026, and review historical data as far back as 2009.