Growth in outbound trips from Europe

High growth from Eastern Europe – City breaks are booming – Above-average rise in trips to Germany – Growth forecast for 2020 – ITB Berlin to present Europe’s latest travel trends from the World Travel Monitor® by IPK International

Berlin, 2 December 2019 – During the first eight months of 2019 outbound trips from Europe rose by 2.5 per cent. Outbound trips from Eastern Europe recorded a higher growth rate than those from Western Europe. At plus seven per cent, city breaks registered a strong increase again. The increase in trips to Germany by four per cent was higher than the European average. The first trend analyses of IPK’s World Travel Monitor® forecast higher growth in outbound trips from Europe for 2020. The World Travel Monitor® is based on the results of representative interviews with more than 500,000 people in over 60 countries worldwide. It has been compiled for more than 20 years and is recognized as the most widescale continuous survey of global travel trends.

Compared with last year weaker growth

After a strong rise by five per cent last year, during the first eight months of 2019 outbound trips from Europe increased by 2.5 per cent, a weaker figure than last year and below the global average of 3.9 per cent.

Europe’s source markets reflect different trends

Looking at Europe’s individual source markets, noticeable is the above-average growth in Eastern European countries, which was much higher than in Western Europe. During the first eight months of 2019 outbound trips from Russia rose by seven per cent, from Poland by six per cent and from the Czech Republic by five per cent. By comparison, the growth rates of Western Europe’s source markets were significantly lower. Outbound trips from Germany rose by two per cent, as did those from the Netherlands and Switzerland. At three per cent, the growth in outbound trips from Italy and France was somewhat higher.

Trips to Europe and America more popular than to Asia

As regards destination choices, during the first eight months of 2019 trips to Europe performed better (plus three per cent) than to Asia (two per cent). Long-haul trips by Europeans to America, which in recent years had risen only slightly, were on the increase again (plus three per cent).

Slight growth in Spain – trips to the UK are in decline

After stagnating last year, Spain, Europe’s most popular holiday destination by far, achieved a slight growth again (one per cent). However, the outperforming destinations during the first eight months of the year were above all Turkey, Portugal and Greece. At four per cent, also Germany registered an above-average increase in visitors from Europe. By contrast, the UK again recorded a drop in visitors (minus five per cent).

City breaks continue to grow

Overall, holiday trips increased by three per cent during the first eight months of 2019. At seven per cent, city breaks were the biggest growth driver in the holiday market, followed by countryside holidays and cruises, which both grew by five per cent. Sun and beach holidays, still the most popular holiday type, registered two per cent growth over the same period. Round trips, after increasing significantly last year, rose by only one per cent so far this year.

Higher growth expected for 2020

IPK International forecasts that in 2020 outbound trips by Europeans will increase by three to four per cent, thus a higher growth rate than in 2019 will be expected. This forecast is based on the findings of the “World Travel Confidence Index”of IPK International, which as part of World Travel Monitor® polls people’s travel intentions for the next 12 months.

Further conclusive results showing 2019 travel trends will be published in future press releases. Rolf Freitag, CEO of IPK International, will present the final findings of the World Travel Monitor® for 2019 at the ITB Future Day of the ITB Berlin Convention along with forecasts for 2020.