Greece, Italy and Malta lead the way as European tourism grows in 2026

International visitor numbers to Europe have increased by 5% so far in 2026, compared to the same period in 2025, despite turbulence across the tourism sector caused by rising geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

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According to the latest trends and prospects quarterly report from the European Travel Commission (ETC), European tourism continued to perform strongly in the second quarter of the year with overnight stays increasing by 4.8%.

The stable performance comes despite “weaker consumer confidence, rising affordability pressures and disruption linked to the conflict in the Middle East”, said the ETC, which affected aviation flows between Europe and certain mid-haul and long-haul markets.

While consumers are still planning to travel, the report found that “choices are becoming more selective”. Travellers are “increasingly looking for destinations that are perceived as safer, offer good value for money and are easier to reach”, while trips continue to spread more evenly across the year.

“European tourism has continued to show resilience in Q2 2026, despite a more uncertain global environment,” said Miguel Sanz, President of the ETC. “Travel remains a priority for consumers, but the way people travel is changing.

“Affordability, safety, proximity and value for money are becoming increasingly important in destination choice. For European destinations, the priority will be to remain competitive while supporting more balanced visitor flows across regions and seasons.”

Greece, Italy and Malta lead the way

According to the ETC data, almost 80% of destinations recorded growth and around one in five achieved double-digit increases in visitor arrivals.

Supported by strong connectivity and efforts to spread demand beyond peak seasons and traditional hotspots, the largest increases in arrivals during the first months of 2026 were recorded by Greece (+38.3%), Italy (+21.1%) and Malta (+16%),.

Outperforming other European subregions, arrivals in Northern Europe were up 10% and overnight stays up 8.4%. Central and Eastern Europe also recorded growth, with arrivals increasing by 5.2% and nights rising by 6.9%, reflecting continued interest in destinations offering new experiences and better value for money.

Southern and Mediterranean Europe remained solid overall, recording the largest growth in absolute terms, with broad-based increases in Malta, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

Challenging start to the year

The overall outlook may remain positive, said the ETC, but some destinations have “faced a more challenging start to the year”.

Cyprus recorded a 17.9% decline in arrivals, partly due to Easter timing effects and weaker traveller sentiment linked to perceived proximity to the conflict in the Middle East.

Türkiye also saw arrivals fall by 2.1%, reflecting softer demand from both European and long-haul visitors amid the regional conflict.

Greece a standout for travel spending

In most destinations, travel spending outpaced arrivals, with the ETC data suggesting higher spend per visitor than a year earlier. Greece stood out as one of Europe’s strongest performers, with spending up 64.3% and arrivals up 38.3%, pointing to significantly higher spend per trip.

Performance varied across destinations. In Italy, arrivals rose by 21.1%, while travel spending increased by 4.3%, reflecting softer average spend per visitor despite volume growth.

Meanwhile, Türkiye and Cyprus were among the few destinations where both arrivals and travel spend fell, “likely reflecting weaker traveller sentiment linked to the Middle East conflict”, said the ETC.

Key trends: Value, proximity, and shoulder-season trips

Despite continued economic uncertainty, leisure travel is expected to remain a priority during summer and beyond.

In key European source markets, leisure travel spending is forecast to remain steady at 13% of total consumer spending in 2026, well above the global average of 8.5%. The share in key non-European source markets is also set to increase slightly, from 7.5% in 2025 to 7.7%.

Travellers are becoming “more price-sensitive”, said the ETC. In its latest travel industry monitor survey, 48% of European respondents identified “affordability and value for money” as a key opportunity for Europe in Q2, up from 32% in Q1.

This points to a “more competitive summer season”, said the ETC, with “destinations that align closely with travellers’ budgets and preferences better placed to attract demand”.

European travellers are expected to favour nearby destinations that are “easier to reach, more familiar and offer greater flexibility”. Southern and Mediterranean Europe is well-positioned to capture this demand, with interest in the region between June and November rising to 61%.

Shoulder months are also gaining importance, as travellers respond to concerns around extreme weather events and overcrowding, with September bookings rising strongly across Europe.