Fewer people want to fly halfway across the world this summer, and Europe is feeling it too. But the region is holding up better than the rest of the long-haul map.
Long-haul travel to Europe slipped this summer, with the intent to visit the region down three points to 36%. That is according to the latest Long-Haul Travel Barometer 2/2026, published by the European Travel Commission (ETC) and Eurail.
The wider picture looks softer. Overall, long-haul travel intent fell five points to 52%, down from 57% last summer and 58% the year before.
The survey covers seven overseas markets: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and the United States. It tracks plans for the May-August 2026 window.
The takeaway is simple. People are getting more cautious about big trips, and money is the main reason. Europe’s appeal hasn’t dropped, but the cost of getting there is doing the work.
Money talks loudest
Cost is still the top reason travellers skip Europe, even as its grip loosens. Nearly 40% of those planning a long-haul trip but not choosing Europe blame travel costs they can’t afford, down nine points year-on-year.
Everything else trails far behind. Plans to visit other destinations (16%) and limited holiday time (11%) account for most of the remainder.
Geopolitics is becoming more visible, but it stays in second place. Among travellers who ruled out Europe, 15% cited a geopolitical factor, including Middle East tensions (8%) and the war in Ukraine (7%).
Even in the markets hit hardest by airspace disruption, the worry stays small. Around 12% of Australians, 14% of Japanese, and 7% of Koreans cited higher airfares or longer journeys.
Two markets carry load
Not every market is pulling back at the same speed. China and Brazil are doing the heavy lifting.
China leads with 63% intending to visit Europe, followed by Brazil at 47%. Both sit well above the seven-market average of 36%.
Canada held steady at 40%, and Japan ticked up slightly from a low base to 14%. The drops came elsewhere.
The US and South Korea both landed at 28%, a third straight summer of decline in each. Australia fell seven points to 33%.
Wanting to go and actually booking are two different things. China leads there too, with roughly 60% of intending travellers having already booked a flight.
Brazil (48%) and South Korea (50%) also convert well. Canada is the outlier, with only about a third of would-be travellers having booked despite ranking third in intent.
Across all markets, 36% intend to travel, 17% have booked, and the conversion rate sits at 47%.
The safety card
One thing keeps working in Europe’s favour. Travellers rate it the safest region in the world.
Europe ranks top across all five safety measures: political stability, personal safety, conflict and terrorism, tourist–local tensions, and natural hazards. On a one-to-five scale, it scored 3.9 for political climate and personal safety, and 3.8 for natural hazards.
The Middle East ranked lowest across the board. That gap matters because safety is now the number one thing people look for when picking a destination.
Safety topped the list at 44%, ahead of must-see sites (39%) and good tourism infrastructure (38%).
All aboard
Rail is having a moment. Good train links now shape destination choice for 23% of travellers, up three points on last summer.
Cheap flights remain the most popular way to cross borders, at 47%. But rail passes (42%) and point-to-point train tickets (40%) both jumped four points.
Value, reliability and safety are driving the shift. Value matters most to Australians, Brazilians and Canadians, while Chinese, Japanese and Korean travellers prize reliability and safety.
The multi-country trip is now standard. Around 74% plan to visit more than one country, averaging 3.6 destinations each, which plays to Europe’s strength as a stitched-together region.
Shorter trips, smarter spending
Most people heading to Europe are going on holiday. Leisure accounts for 71% of trips, ahead of business (11%) and visiting friends and family (9%).
The classic one-to-two-week trip still dominates at 60%, with €100–200 a day the most common budget at 36%. But the belt is tightening.
The €50–100 daily bracket grew five points to 23%. Trips of under a week rose from 16% to 22%.
Spending is moving towards experiences. Food and drink lead at 67%, followed by activities at 49%.
Shopping (40%) and accommodation (27%) both fell by five and three points. Wellness crept up two points to 20%.
Culture and history remain the biggest draw at 43%, followed by city life (32%), food (32%), and nature (28%).
Beyond the usual suspects
The big names still rule the wish lists. France (39%), Italy (29%), Germany (25%), the UK (22%) and Spain (21%) top the table.
But interest is spreading out. Central Europe (16%) and Eastern Europe (13%) both posted significant year-on-year gains of three and five points.
Travellers are eyeing Poland, Slovakia, Croatia and Bulgaria. With cost still front of mind, value and fresh experiences are pulling people off the beaten track.
New queues at gate
A fresh hurdle has landed right in the middle of this travel window. The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) became fully operational on 10 April 2026, capturing biometric data at all Schengen external borders.
The timing is awkward. Early operation has triggered queues of two to four hours at major airports, with first-time registration adding three to seven minutes per traveller.
That friction hits the budget-conscious, short-trip crowd hardest. A long arrival queue eats into a trip that is already getting shorter.
Most of the surveyed markets are visa-exempt, which means they will also need the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) once it launches, expected late 2026 and not mandatory until 2027. China is the exception, as Chinese nationals already travel on a Schengen visa.
The declining Western markets are the ones set to carry the full weight of both systems.
Europe’s next move
Demand has cooled, but Europe is cooling more slowly than the field. Safety, rail and multi-country trips are keeping it in the game.
Miguel Sanz, President of the European Travel Commission, framed the moment as a chance to adapt. “Despite economic pressures and geopolitical uncertainty, Europe remains the top destination choice for long-haul travellers worldwide,” he stated.
He pointed to what travellers now want. “Travellers are also becoming more selective, seeking good value, authentic experiences and easier ways to explore multiple destinations… This is an opportunity for Europe to strengthen connectivity, diversify visitor flows and respond to changing expectations.”