Europe continues to strengthen its position as a global travel destination. A new report from Amadeus and the United Nations World Tourism Organization shows that both air travel and the hotel market grew during the period May 2025–April 2026, while new destinations and new traveler groups are driving the development.
According to the report Travel Insights 2026: Focus on Europe Passenger traffic to Europe increased by 2.3 percent compared to the previous year. At the same time, hotel occupancy rose by 2 percent and average room rates increased by 7 percent.
Travelers aged 46-65 now account for around 30 percent of total demand, making them Europe’s largest traveler segment. The group is increasingly seeking authentic experiences, culture and nature rather than traditional city trips.
“Although travel is affected by the macroeconomic situation, demand remains stable across Europe. We see clear opportunities to attract Japanese travelers and growing interest in lesser-known destinations,” says Javier Campo, Vice President Commercial Europe Hospitality at Amadeus.
Japan largest growth market
Japan stands out as the fastest growing long-haul market for Europe. Searches from Japan increased by 62 percent while bookings rose by 12 percent compared to the previous year.
Growth is noticeable in all European regions, with bookings from Japan increasing by 28 percent to Central and Eastern Europe, 14 percent to Southern Europe, 10 percent to Western Europe and 8 percent to Northern Europe.
The report therefore identifies the Japanese market as one of the biggest business opportunities for European destinations and airlines.
Iceland and the Czech Republic attract more
In addition to classic tourist countries, booking data shows growing interest in destinations outside the most established major cities.
The Czech Republic and Iceland are the fastest growing destinations among Europe’s largest markets, with booking increases of 9 and 7 percent respectively. Meanwhile, search interest is increasing sharply for countries in Central Asia, with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan topping the list with an increase of 64 percent.
The Nordic countries also show strong growth. Sweden and Switzerland both saw a 36 percent increase in search interest, followed by Denmark (34 percent) and Norway (31 percent).
“The growing demand for Sweden, Norway and Denmark demonstrates the Nordic region’s enduring appeal. Data-driven insights are becoming increasingly important to understand visitor demand and create sustainable growth,” says Gustav Källhager, Country Manager Sweden and Norway at Amadeus.
Strong hotel market
At the same time, the hotel market continues to develop positively. The average room rate in Europe was around $215 over the past twelve-month period and hotel occupancy was above 73 percent for most of the high season.
Almost half of all hotel bookings are also made more than a month before departure, which according to the report provides good opportunities for destinations and hotels to work with long-term pricing and marketing.
At the same time, forward-looking bookings show that demand for autumn 2026 is already above last year's level, pointing to continued strong development for Europe's tourism industry.
