Home » TRAVEL NEWS » Brazil, Canada, Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, And United States Expose Sharp Divergence In European Travel Intent, With Economic Hardships Reshaping Plans For The US, Brazil, And Japan, While China And Australia Experience Explosive Growth
Thursday, July 17, 2025
There is a big split in the European travel market in 2025 according to the report – with travellers from the US, Brazil and Japan retreating compared to growth from China and Australia. Increasingly expensive travel, as well as economic uncertainty are recalibrating travel intentions in some markets, while others witness a strong rebound, fashioning a new landscape for tourism in Europe.
The summer shine is slowly fading for Europe, evidenced in the data of the European Travel Commission Long-Haul Travel Barometer for the period 2/2015. Conducted jointly with Eurail BV, the study indicates a slight decline in potential, with only thirty-nine percent of large long-haul markets reporting they intend to visit Europe during the summer of 2025, compared to forty-one percent in 2024. Conversely, 57 percent of internationals on the move will focus on traveling outside of their home market during that period which shows that while travel preferences may have changed in different regions the desire to travel globally is as strong as ever.
Key markets lose interest in Europe
The drop in European appeal is particularly noticeable in the United States, where just thirty-three per cent of respondents say that they will travel to Europe (a seven-point decrease compared with 2024). The change follows higher travel costs and growing economic uncertainty that have led many people in the United States to re-evaluate international travel plans.
The downturn in Brazil is also six percent down in terms of considering Europe as a destination this summer. But younger and higher-income travelers are keeping up the appeal for European places. Canada saw a decrease of five percent for those expecting to make a European escape, totalling thirty-seven percent. *Least interested in Europe is Japan, where only thirteen percent of its population plan to travel to Europe. That’s partly because of an aging population but also the result of a weaker yen, which has made travel abroad more expensive. In the interim South Korea has a steady outlook with thirty percent of those traveling considering travel to countries such as France, Spain, and Italy.
China Becoming a Force in Europe’s Markets
In contrast to the Western markets waning interest, China is boasting an impressive spike in travel intent. With its strong economic recovery and changing consumer preferences, 72% of respondents from China now intend to visit Europe – up by ten points year over year. There’s a slight increase in hop-of from Australia, with 40% saying they have travel plans to Europe.
The Expense of Travel is Still Putting Travelers Off
What is holding you back from exploring the continent of Europe? The biggest answer is cost. A little over half of those who don’t plan to go attribute too much spending as the eventual reason why they won’t go to the continent, up seven percent from 2024. It is especially heavy in the United States and Brazil with inflation and higher travel costs taking the shine off demand for travel.
Beyond cost considerations, time off is a factor, as is a bias for domestic instead of international travel as seen in places such as Japan or Australia. “Easier to travel to western European countries has been reflected in concerns about security in eastern Ukraine especially, and that’s down to only 4% in the last couple of years, so we know that that’s a barrier to travel,” he said.
Shifting Travel Trends: Early Exits and Spending Overhaul
Traveler behavior keeps shifting, especially when and how people book their vacations. May and June travel is increasing in popularity, as more travelers are heading out earlier in the summer. This change can be seen in ANHSCA’s early summer take back (which went from 24% to 34% of respondents). In choosing the off-peak, these travelers are perhaps looking for cheaper and less stressful travel.
In spending, less tourists expect to spend more than 200 euros per day. Now 40 per cent say they will limit daily spending to between 100 and 200 euros — a process of budgeting in which they are taking a more cautious stance. Even with those changes, transportation spending is a huge line item. Multistop is still big business though, with 41% of holidaymakers saving to visit multiple European destinations.
Eating is travelers’ number one priority in terms of spend, with 65% of respondents budgeting for food. “Tourist’ activities as well as shopping are the next most costly spending categories per international visitor.
The 2025: European travel trends project a dramatic split in growth, with the US, Brazil and Japan retrenching due to economic woes and China and Australia booming on the back of powerful recovery and consumer strength.
Strategic Adoration of Europe
To meet these challenges, the European Travel Commission is concentrating on measures to safeguard the global competitiveness of Europe. There is a push to get travelers to go to Europe in the shoulder seasons, like the spring and fall, when there are fewer tourists and everything is cheaper. Inspire visits to lesser-known places across the continent, as a way to attract travelers looking for unique and authentic experiences.
Diversifying travel choices while also enhancing global accessibility, Europe can continue to tantalize travelers from across the globe, despite evolving market trends. With increasing demand from places such as China and Australia, there are still plenty of opportunities for years to come in European tourism, but only if it can evolve to better meet the ever-changing desires and anxieties of today’s travelers.
Tags: Australia, brazil, Canada, china, european travel, global tourism, International travel, japan, south korea, Summer 2025, Tourism industry, Tourism news, travel industry, Travel News, United States
