Cost concerns weigh on 2025 travel plans to Europe: ETC

Long-haul travel sentiment globally and to Europe has weakened for 2025, according to the latest Long-Haul Travel Barometer (LHTB).

The data, which is published by by the European Travel Commission (ETC) and Eurail BV, provides insights into long-haul travel sentiments for 2025, along with trends and plans for the year's first four months.

The barometer reveals cautious travel intentions, driven by affordability concerns and changing preferences, but also highlights opportunities to enhance Europe’s global competitiveness.

The latest report shows that 63 per cent of respondents across key overseas markets – Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, and the United States – intend to travel long-haul this year.

Among them, 44 per cent plan to visit Europe, which marks a slight decline from 49 per cent in 2024, with weakening sentiment reported in markets such as South Korea, the U.S., Brazil and Australia.

In contrast, Chinese travellers demonstrate growing interest, with 61 per cent intending to visit Europe in the next twelve months.

Affordability a barrier

Affordability remains the most significant barrier to international travel, cited by 46 per cent of respondents not planning a European trip.

In addition to affordability, travellers cited interest in visiting other overseas regions or limited vacation time as factors influencing their plans.

“The findings highlight the ongoing challenges of maintaining Europe’s competitiveness as a global destination in an increasingly saturated market. To remain a top choice for international travellers, Europe must focus on managing Brand Europe strategically. By tracking consumer trends, promoting more competitive off-season and off-the-beaten-path travel options, and improving sustainable connectivity, Europe can offer richer, more rewarding travel experiences to our visitors,” stated Miguel Sanz, president of ETC, in a statement.

Safety shapes choices

Safety remains the most important factor when choosing a destination, followed by iconic landmarks and well-developed infrastructure, the report says.

This data explores travellers’ perceptions of safety for the first time. According to long-haul travellers, the top factors that make a destination safe are low crime rates, clean and well-maintained tourist establishments, visible security, political stability and friendly locals.

Navigating overtourism

Europe’s iconic attractions remain a major draw for international travellers in 2025, often leading to overtourism – especially during peak seasons.

Survey results indicate that long-haul travellers remain flexible in such situations—nearly one-third would adjust their plans to visit at quieter times, 28 per cent would proceed despite long queues, 25 per cent would explore less crowded areas within the destination, and only five per cent would consider changing destinations entirely.

“These insights highlight the need for better travel flow management across Europe to ease congestion while boosting alternative destinations economically,” said the ETC.

Multi-destination gains momentum

At the same time, travellers are showing a growing preference for multi-destination trips.

The report shows that 94 per cent of respondents planning to visit Europe in the first four months of 2025 intend to explore more than one country.

On average, long-haul travellers are looking to visit 3.4 countries, with South Korean travellers leading the trend, aiming to visit an average of 5.2 countries per trip.

This trend is growing across all key markets, especially among Australian travellers, who have seen a 15 per cent increase from 2024.

Evolving budget & experience priorities

The report also highlights changing spending habits. In the first four months of 2025, 42 per cent of respondents plan to allocate between €100 and €200 per day, showing a 14 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the percentage of travellers planning to spend over €200 per day has decreased to 30%, reflecting a 13 per cent decline.

Food and drinks are emerging as the top spending category for most travellers (67 per cent). However, market priorities vary: for Chinese travellers, shopping leads their budget (67 per cent), while for U.S. travellers, accommodation ranks second (55 per cent), significantly higher than in other markets (24 per cent).

The full summary report can be downloaded here.

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