Saturday, 15 March 2025
The European Union recorded its highest-ever tourism figures in 2024, with the total number of nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments exceeding 3 billion. This marks a 2.2% increase compared to 2023, amounting to an additional 65.4 million nights. The surge was largely driven by a strong final quarter of the year, which saw a notable rise in overnight stays across almost all EU countries.
The data, published by Eurostat, highlights a significant increase in international tourism. In 2024, nights spent by international guests rose by 4.9% (+67.2 million), indicating growing demand for travel within and to the EU. However, domestic tourism remained relatively stable, recording a slight decrease of 0.1% (-1.8 million nights), suggesting that while international travel rebounded, local tourism demand did not see the same level of growth.
Spain, Italy, France, and Germany emerged as the top destinations, collectively accounting for 61.6% of total nights spent in the EU. Spain led the ranking with 500 million nights, followed by Italy (458 million), France (451 million), and Germany (441 million). On the other end of the spectrum, Luxembourg (3.4 million), Latvia (4.7 million), and Estonia (6.6 million) registered the lowest number of overnight stays.
Strongest Growth in Malta and Latvia, Declines in Luxembourg and France
Compared to 2023, tourism nights increased the most in Malta, which saw a 14.4% growth, followed by Latvia with a 7.4% rise. Other countries also recorded steady gains, reinforcing the overall upward trend in EU tourism. However, a few countries experienced declines. Luxembourg saw the biggest drop, down 2.7%, followed by France (-0.6%), Belgium (-0.2%), and Sweden (-0.1%).
Final Quarter Drives Record Growth
The last quarter of 2024 played a crucial role in the year’s overall record-breaking performance. During this period, the total number of nights spent in the EU increased by 5.1% compared to Q4 2023, reflecting a significant uptick in demand for travel towards the end of the year.
Most EU countries saw an increase in overnight stays during Q4 2024, with Malta experiencing the highest growth (+16.5%), followed by Latvia (+12.5%), Italy (+11.1%), and Croatia (+10.2%). Ireland was the only country to record a decline, with a 1.8% drop compared to the same period in 2023.
With the tourism sector showing strong recovery and growth, 2024 marked a historic high for the EU travel industry, demonstrating renewed confidence in travel, increased international mobility, and a strong year-end performance that set new records for the sector.
Source: Eurostat
