European travellers continue to prioritise spending on travel in the face of cost of living financial pressures, new data shows.
People from Spain and Italy are the most eager to travel, with 75% likely to take a trip before March 2024.
Enthusiasm is also high among British and Polish respondents (both 73%), according to the latest survey conducted by the European Travel Commission.
The ETC’s latest travel sentiment report found that 68% of Europeans polled plan to travel over the winter, just a 2% decline on this time last year
The majority are planning either a leisure trip (69%) or intend to visit family and friends (15%).
A slight increase in business travel was recorded, with 8% planning to travel for work, marking a 3% rise compared to a year ago.
However, 22% of those polled cited rising costs as their greatest concern surrounding travel, while 16% are worried about their personal finances.
Increasing travel costs and financial pressures are leading consumers to consider off-season travel, visiting more affordable destinations or booking early to take advantage of the best offers.
At the time of the survey last month, only 22% of travellers had fully booked their trip, with 23% leaving some of their options open for transportation or accommodation. This may indicate a desire to benefit from last-minute deals, according to the ETC.
European travellers are also showing high interest in money-saving strategies while at their destinations, with 17% planning cut back on shopping, 15% spending less on accommodation and dining and 12% taking advantage of public transportation or bike rental services.
Despite financial concerns, Europeans still have a high enthusiasm for travel, with 71% intending to maintain or increase their usual travel budget during the coming months.
Intention to take multiple trips is high (54%), and the number of Europeans planning to spend more than €1,500 per trip has increased by 7% compared to last year.
Europeans are becoming more concerned about the impact of extreme weather events on their travel plans – 14% now cite this as their primary concern, marking an 8% increase since the previous survey conducted in May.
Environmental concerns may also be influencing the choice of transport while travelling.
Though flights remain the top choice for half of those surveyed, a growing number of Europeans are opting for greener modes of transport – 17% plan to take a train or bus during their next trip, a rise of 5% from the year before. Meanwhile, the number of travellers planning to drive during their holiday has dropped by 7%.
ETC president Miguel Sanz said: “We are very glad to see that European travellers continue to prioritise their travel spend, even in light of ongoing worries about increasing travel costs and personal finances.
“The current trends present an optimistic outlook for European tourism in the coming months, demonstrating its resilience to global economic challenges.
“To take full advantage of consumer confidence, the industry should carefully monitor and anticipate changes in consumer preferences and adjust its offerings accordingly’.’