March 2025


European Tourism Reports Strong Figures for Last Quarter of 2024


EUROPEAN tourism demonstrated strong resilience in the last quarter of 2024 despite economic pressures, geopolitical uncertainties, adverse weather conditions, and evolving consumer behaviour. The European Travel Commission’s (ETC) latest report showcases a rise of 6.3% in foreign arrivals over 2019 levels and a rise of 6.7% compared to 2023. Overnight stays have also grown by 5.9% above 2019, and 4.8% year-on-year. Recently published,


the “European


Tourism Trends & Prospects” Q4 2024 report offers insights into the dynamic performance of European tourism during the autumn and winter period and provides a comprehensive analysis of the region’s latest tourism and macroeconomic developments.


While travel performance has remained


strong, the report indicates that consumers are increasingly opting for value-for-money destinations. This is likely due to higher travel costs caused by elevated service inflation and increased demand for travel. The latest estimate suggests that in 2024, tourists spent 7.8% more across Europe than in 2023, equating to €705 billion, with almost three-quarters of total regional spend driven by Western Europe. Commenting on the publication of this


report, ETC President Miguel Sanz, said: “As we look toward 2025, European tourism will continue to navigate an increasingly complex landscape and heightened geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Despite challenges such as rising travel costs and shifting consumer preferences,


Europe’s tourism


sector has shown remarkable resilience. At the same time, we are witnessing positive trends, such as a growing focus on off- season travel, which helps distribute tourism demand more evenly throughout the year. Looking ahead, sustaining this momentum will require


strategic investments in


diversified offerings to ensure continued performance and competitiveness.” Travellers seek value-for-money off-peak season Tourism performance is stronger across both arrivals and overnights compared to the previous quarter, suggesting travel in the shoulder season (September-October) and into the winter period remained robust. This trend aligns with growing consumer preference for value-for-money travel, as these months typically offer lower prices. Additionally, extreme summer temperatures in some sub-regions and fewer travellers may have influenced travel patterns. Southern Europe’s expansion cools, while


Northern Lights draw tourists to Iceland Following a strong summer period, several Southern and Mediterranean destinations saw slower performance in Q4, including Portugal, Serbia, Greece, and Montenegro. Montenegro was the only reporting destination with lower arrivals than in 2023, with tourists likely going elsewhere due to the influx over recent years. Serbia, Portugal, and Greece saw weakened arrivals growth since Q3, but are still up considerably on 2019, by 28.9%, 17.8% and 13.7% respectively. However, some Southern and Mediterranean destinations managed to buck this trend, including Italy, with arrivals up 5.9% and overnight stays 10% ahead of 2019 figures. Iceland, on the other hand, recorded a 14% increase in arrivals over 2019 in Q4, making it the fastest-growing winter tourism destination. The rise was fuelled by increased solar activity, attracting visitors eager to witness the Northern Lights, with strong demand from Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and the UK. Weather events continue to impact travel Extreme


weather events, including


flooding, storms and snowfalls, impacted travel across Europe, leading to flight delays and cancellations in major hubs such as France, Germany, Spain, and the UK. Spain’s province of Valencia was particularly affected by severe flooding, with arrivals growth slowing in November (4.2%) and December (-6.3%) following its strong performance in the rest of the year, when arrivals growth outpaced Spain as a whole. Long-haul travel lags behind Looking ahead, the recovery of long-haul


travel is still lagging with final data for 2024 indicating it will remain 5% below 2019 levels. This is largely due to the slow recovery from Asia/Pacific, particularly China. Travel demand from this market has been mainly focused on regional trips, with fewer long- haul journeys, especially to Europe, due to limited connectivity and visa requirements. On average, arrivals from China to European destinations are 39.6% below pre-pandemic levels.


In contrast, US transatlantic travel helped


to sustain momentum during Europe’s post- pandemic recovery. However, uncertainty under the Trump administration grows as inflation risks could shrink disposable income, potentially reducing international travel. In Q4, 22 of 27 reporting destinations saw US arrivals surpass 2019 levels, led by Türkiye (+153%), Portugal (+91%), Lithuania (+67%), and Montenegro (+49%).


www.nitravelnews.com


ROYAL Caribbean International welcomes Elaine Truesdale to the UK and Ireland team as Sales Development Manager, to support the brand’s growth in the Irish market.


Elaine joins the team following a number of years at specialist travel agencies, where her passion for Royal Caribbean began. As a travel agent, Elaine consistently topped Royal Caribbean’s sales incentive leaderboards and was the first agent in Ireland to receive ‘Guru’ status for completing the highest level of brand training on Royal Caribbean’s online travel agent learning and rewards platform, My Club Royal. Elaine Truesdale says,


“I am very much looking forward to starting at Royal Caribbean later this month! An exciting aspect of the role is having the opportunity to pass on my enthusiasm and knowledge of the brand, gained from years of being an agent selling this fabulous product, as well as sailing onboard with my family”.


Turkish Airlines Holidays Expands Globally


TURKISH Airlines package holiday brand globally. The launch event held at The Peninsula London Hotel welcomed numerous


distinguished guests from


around the world, marking a strategic expansion for the brand.


Holidaymakers can now arrange flights, hotels, tours, activities, car rentals, airport transfers, insurance and more through the new Turkish Airlines holidays website. Previously available only for outbound flights from Türkiye, Turkish Airlines Holidays has now expanded to key markets including the UK, Europe, South Korea, Mexico, Australia, and many more through strategic partnerships with HBX and Perfectstay. Commenting at the exclusive launch


event, Turkish Airlines Chief Executive Officer Bilal Ekşi said: “Passengers travelling outbound from Türkiye have enjoyed the convenience of booking their entire trip through Turkish Airlines Holidays. Now, we are extending this seamless experience to travellers worldwide, making holiday planning easier than ever while strengthening our global presence. We are delighted to provide such comprehensive, one-stop booking options for our guests,


further improving their travel experiences.” STEVE Williams, Fred. Olsen Travel MD to Retire managing director


of Fred. Olsen Travel, retires from the company after 36 years. Steve says: “I am extremely proud of what the team and I have achieved over the years. As I take this next step in my life, I’d like to thank all of my industry friends and colleagues for 36 great years in a brilliant industry.” Belinda Mindell, chair of Fred. Olsen


Travel, adds:


“The board and I would like to thank Steve for his dedication and loyalty. Steve has been instrumental in building up the businesses within Fred. Olsen Travel. We wish him well in his future.” Samantha Stimpson, CEO of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, will assume the additional position of interim managing director for Fred. Olsen Travel.


Nicolas Huss, Chief Executive Officer of HBX, also shared his thoughts on this milestone moment: Today’s travellers expect a seamless and connected booking experience. With this in mind, we are proud to embark on this strategic partnership with Turkish Airlines to launch Turkish Airlines Holidays. Through this collaboration, passengers can now enhance their journeys by combining flights with our extensive global inventory of accommodations, transfers, car rentals, and experiences— powered by Perfect Stay’s advanced packaging technology—to create the ideal getaway. As a company dedicated to connecting global travel, we are thrilled about this opportunity and eager to shape the future of travel together.”


TRADE NEWS | 49


Elaine Truesdale Joins Royal Caribbean International’s UK and Ireland Team


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