Trip.com reveals the summer travel trends in Europe

Trip.com has released its latest analysis of the patterns and preferences defining European travel this summer.

According to its data, global summer bookings – taking place between 1 June and 31 August – have surpassed 2019, with short-haul trips being the most popular this summer.

Overall, bookings on the Trip.com platform for Europe increased by 72 per cent compared to the same period in 2022 and 609 per cent in summer 2019.

European travellers are preferring short-haul flights – making up 67.3 per cent of all flight bookings – while long-haul bookings only account for 13.2 per cent. In 2019, this level was 47.5 per cent.

The top 10 destinations for European travellers are:

• Spain
• Italy
• UK
• Greece
• France
• Portugal
• Germany
• USA
• Turkey
• Netherlands.

UK travellers are also keen on European destinations close to home. The trending countries this summer include Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal and Turkey – popular for relaxation and leisure.

Other European destinations are attracting UK tourists due to their historical significance and hotspots, such as landmarks, museums, art and architecture.

The top 10 countries for UK tourists are:

• Spain
• Italy
• Thailand
• France
• China
• Greece
• Turkey
• Portugal
• Germany
• USA.

Andy Washington, Trip.com Group General Manager EMEA, said: “We are thrilled to announce that global summer bookings on Trip.com have increased by 72 per cent for Europe compared to 2022, with short-haul travel the number one choice.

“Mediterranean destinations are among the most visited destinations this summer, a clear sign that travellers are eager to seek relaxation and leisure.”