Which European countries attract the most tourists?

Europe continues to dominate global tourism, attracting hundreds of millions of international travellers each year and cementing its status as the world’s most visited region.

From Mediterranean beach escapes to culture-packed cities, data reveals where international tourists are spending the most nights across the continent.

Figures from the European Commission show that six European countries are among the world’s top 10 most visited nations, with Spain, Italy, Türkiye, France and the UK making up the top five most popular destinations in Europe.

Thanks to data from Eurostat and the UK’s Office for National Statistics via VisitBritain, it’s possible to see which areas of the continent are particularly favoured.

Across Europe, there were more than 1.5 billion overnight stays in 2025, Visual Capitalist reported. While in 1950, that number was 25 million, said online travel resource Smarter Travel.

That goes hand in hand with the global travel boom, which is still continuing, despite uncertainty across the world.

Recent research from the World Travel & Tourism Council has forecast that the sector will grow by some 3.2% globally in 2026 – 0.8% of wider global economic growth, forecast at 2.4%. The travel and tourism industry is expected to support 376 million jobs worldwide in 2026, that’s one in nine jobs globally.

Destinations welcome millions despite overtourism concerns

Spain remains not only the most popular tourist destination in Europe, but across the globe. It hosted international visitors for nearly 330 million nights in 2025, easily beating Italy, which is next in the ranking with just under 265 million stays, according to the Eurostat data.

Türkiye and France are next on the list, both having attracted more than 150 million overnight visitors last year.

The UK, despite having left the EU, is still one of Europe’s success stories in fifth place, with nearly 150 million visitors in 2024. That figure could rise for 2025, when VisitBritain releases its latest statistics.

The appearance of Greece, Austria, Croatia, Germany and the Netherlands rounding out the top 10 suggests that a good proportion of European tourism remains seasonal, and popular in places which have solid infrastructure for visitors.

Spain and Italy, along with Greece and Croatia, are all well known for their warm weather in the summer and shoulder seasons, and resorts, restaurants and tourist attractions.

Despite overtourism protests, especially in Spain and Italy, people can’t seem to stay away from their picture-perfect beaches or many historical sites.

In France, it’s not just Paris which attracts countless tourists. In the summer, travellers head to the French Riviera and Provence, while in the colder months, winter sports fans make a pilgrimage to the Alps.

The ranking also reveals that not only large countries attract large quantities of tourists.

Austria, a favourite winter destination, welcomed nearly 100 million tourists in 2025, while Croatia saw more than 85 million visitors the same year, many due to its picturesque Adriatic coast.