Survey finds 76 per cent of Europeans plan an autumn or winter trip
The European Travel Commission found strong interest in travel within Europe, while financial pressures remained respondents’ leading concern.
An overnight journey between October 2026 and March 2027 is planned by 76 per cent of respondents to a European Travel Commission (ETC) survey. City breaks, cultural visits and festive holidays are helping drive demand, the organisation said.
The online poll covered 6,000 people in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Poland and Austria. All participants had made at least two trips involving an overnight stay in the previous three years.
Christmas is expected to be the busiest period for travel intentions, with 23 per cent planning a festive trip. Seeing relatives and friends was a reason for December travel for 34 per cent of respondents, against 10 per cent for other months.
Interest in journeys within Europe stood at 64 per cent. France, Spain, Italy, Germany and the UK were the leading country choices, while 53 per cent intended to visit southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Remote or less-visited destinations appealed to 54 per cent.
Money worries were cited by 37 per cent of respondents, followed by geopolitical instability at 23 per cent. Extreme weather concerned 10 per cent and overcrowding 9 per cent. Safety ranked first among considerations when choosing a destination, at 20 per cent.
Some 38 per cent of travellers had already arranged or booked at least part of their next journey. Stays lasting four to six nights were the most popular option, chosen by 43 per cent.
