EU tourism nights at record 3.08 billion in 2025

I just found another press release: recently published by UN about international tourism:
"International tourist arrivals up 4% in 2025 reflecting strong travel demand around the world"

Two outlook bullets from this:

• "While positive prospects for the global economy and lower oil prices could favour tourism performance in 2026, uncertainty derived from geopolitical risks and ongoing conflicts, trade tensions and extreme weather events could weigh on traveller confidence."
• "International tourism in 2026 will be driven by solid consumer demand, enhanced air connectivity and growing outbound travel from emerging markets. Major international events such as the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics (Italy) and the FIFA World Cup 2026 (Canada, United States and Mexico) will also contribute to international travel."

Source: https://www.untourism.int/news/international-tourist-arrivals-up-4-in-2025-reflecting-strong-travel-demand-around-the-world

Good news that international guests contributed in a major way to tourism in EU in 2025. I am glad I was one of them. We can look for to more even more progress in this regard concerning the EU in 2026.

Interesting that the demographics of overnight visitors show about half EU residents and half non-EU residents. Tourism sure seems to be growing, as crowding in many destinations would seem to confirm. I wonder whether the “tourist accommodation establishments” that the Eurostat report reflects include short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO, or if it’s only hotels, B&B’s, hostels, etc. I wonder whether the growth in tourism actually exceeds the amount in the report?

And what about folks who are lodging on a cruise ship at, or near, a port in the EU? I wonder how much that factor is growing, contributing to “more tourism in Europe?”

How much more than 2019?

Interesting that the demographics of overnight visitors show about half EU residents and half non-EU residents.

Misunderstanding, Cyn. The lines are titled domestic and international guests. Domestic means really from this country, not from EU because the EU is not a country itself - different to USA.

In Germany for example only 17% are non-German guests (source) which is an extremely low share. Austria for example shows 74% international guests, most of them from Germany (majority), the Netherlands and Switzerland (source). So, two of the top 3 are EU countries.

I see, Mark. There are clearly countries where its residents now go to another country on vacation, and not to a destination within the country. Or, the number of visitors from another country far exceed the number of domestic visitors. Perth add ps t here cc are countries with a relatively small population, but high-demand locales.

I still suspect that the tourism in the multi-country EU will continue to climb, year after year.

Unless there will be remarkable international issues I think also that EU tourism will grow.

How much more than 2019?

Apparently something less than 5%.