The European Travel Commission recently noted that plans for intra-European trips in 2025 have taken a small hit—travel intentions have dipped by 3% to roughly 72%. Even with all the geopolitical buzz, European travelers still seem pretty upbeat about getting away; they’re leaning toward longer vacations, being ready to spend more, and exploring a wider variety of places.
Travel Intentions Across Europe
Looking around the continent, Poland tops the list with an 80% travel intention, while the United Kingdom follows close on its heels at 79%. The Netherlands and Spain settle in at about 75%, and Italy trails a bit at 73%. On the other side, it appears that French citizens (65%) are a bit more cautious, with Belgians at 68%, Austrians at 69%, and both Swiss and Germans hanging around 69-70%. Generally speaking, ETC President Miguel Sanz remarked that such numbers really emphasize Europe’s knack for travel, even when things look a bit uncertain, and they open up room for lesser-known areas to catch some of that attention.
Changing Destination Preferences
There’s a shift happening too. Traditional Mediterranean spots are losing a bit of their charm, with an 8% drop in popularity, while Eastern Europe has managed a modest 3% boost compared to what we saw before. Despite Southern Europe and the Mediterranean still drawing about 41% of European travelers during spring and summer 2025, countries such as Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Belgium, and Bulgaria are slowly getting noticed, each up by roughly 1%. If you dig a little deeper, you’ll find that around 53% of European travelers stick with well-known cities and resorts. At the same time, about 35% choose places that aren’t in the usual travel brochures, and 13% actively hunt for off-the-beaten-path destinations. Interestingly, those who break away from tradition tend to stay for longer stretches—38% plan trips longer than 10 days versus only 21% for the more common picks—and they’re often ready to spend more than €2,500 per journey.
More Trips, Longer Stays, Higher Budgets
Between April and September 2025, roughly 27% of Europeans plan to clock in at three or more trips—a 6% jump from last year. There’s also been an 11% increase in the group choosing holidays that last between 7 and 12 nights, now up to 42%. It seems like spending isn’t on the back burner either; 30% of travelers plan to fork over between €1,501 and €2,500 per trip (a 7% lift), while 17% are setting their sights even higher. Across the board, lodging takes the top spot at 27%, with food and beverage at 20%, and local activities following at 16%. Younger travelers (ages 18–24) appear to be more into shopping (15%) and treating themselves to luxury experiences (11%), whereas those over 55 generally prioritize comfort, spending notably more on accommodation (33%) and meals (24%).
Climate Awareness Shapes Choices
Notably, climate change is starting to play a bigger role in how European travelers choose their destinations—81% now say it affects their decisions, a 7% rise from the previous year. As a result, 17% of them are checking weather forecasts more often, 15% are after warmer climes, and 14% are deliberately steering clear of places known for extreme heat. In most cases, this new focus on climate might nudge travelers toward cooler, alternative spots when summer really heats up.
As we head into 2025, European travelers seem to be blending a thirst for richer, more diverse experiences with a careful eye on the climate. They are not only planning longer and more frequent trips but are also open to spending more, a trend that could very well support local economies in fresh, unexpected ways.