Forwardkeys reveals London as most-searched summer travel destination

INTERNATIONAL. Data from travel analytics firm ForwardKeys reveals that London is leading the list of the most-searched travel destinations in Europe this summer as excitement builds up for this year’s Paris Olympics.

The search results underline the positive trend that reflects the full recovery to pre-pandemic travel levels, with significant changes in traveller preferences, ForwardKeys noted.

The news was hailed by trade body European Tourism Association ETOA.

According to flight searches from the first four months of the year, London (5% share of flight searches for travel to Europe) marked the highest relative rise in the share of searches for travel in summer 2024 (+1.9 percentage points). The result was attributed to the “collateral excitement” of the Paris Olympics, with London offering convenient transport options connecting to the French capital.

Paris has also appeared among the most popular destinations (+0.5 percentage points increase), although its share of searches is slightly lower as many travellers attending the Olympic Games will have planned direct travel in advance, the travel analytics firm said.

The most notable increases include Istanbul (+0.4 percentage points), Rome (+0.7 percentage points) and Milan (+0.7 percentage points).

Pre-pandemic destinations that have become less popular among travellers include Spain, Greece and Portugal (including Athens, Lisbon, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca), reflecting the emergence of diverse travel patterns among European travellers.

Destinations breaking this travel trend are Tenerife (+0.41 percentage points) and Izmir (+0.25 percentage points), which are making the most significant strides among mid-tier destinations.

Northern European cities Reykjavik (+0.21 percentage points) and Munich (+0.15 percentage points) have become more popular destinations for holidaymakers seeking places with cooler summer temperatures.

Eastern European destinations such as Tirana (+0.07 percentage points) have also become among the most attractive summer travel destinations following their increasing popularity in recent years. Yerevan (+0.03 percentage points) and Tbilisi (+0.09 percentage points) were some of the most searched among European and Russian travellers, driven by the combination of natural and cultural attractions and affordable prices.

Analysis of ForwardKeys’ air ticketing database in July and August 2024 has also revealed some new trends in consumer preferences.

Compared to the same period last year, summer flight bookings to nature destinations are +19% ahead; urban destinations are +14% higher; and sun and beach destinations are up +8%.

A similar trend is evident at a subregional level as year-on-year rises in international arrivals to Central/Eastern Europe (+25%), Western Europe (+15%) and Northern Europe (+13%) exceed that to destinations in Southern Europe (+11%).

European outbound travellers focus on Asian destinations

Forwardkeys noted a growing demand for outbound travel from Europe, with year-on-year growth in intra-European (+14%) and long-haul travel to various Asian markets (+16%).

Air ticketing data for July and August shows the increasing popularity of several Asian destinations among European holidaymakers, including landscapes and cultures of Beijing (+132%) in particular, as well as Osaka (+66%), Bangkok (+21%), Colombo (+21%) and Kuala Lumpur (+14%).

Their popularity was boosted by various factors such as enhanced connectivity, visa waivers for Europeans entering China and the favourable Euro to Yen exchange rate.

An increasing number of European travellers have also been choosing US destinations including Chicago (+14%) and Miami (+9%).

ForwardKeys Director of Intelligence and Marketing Olivier Ponti commented: “Overall, the picture is positive for destinations worldwide looking to attract lucrative European tourism over the coming years.

“With the disruption to demand and bookings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic now firmly in the past, the 2024 summer season looks likely to set a new benchmark for European travel both within the region and beyond.”

ETOA Director of Insight Rachel Read added: “It is a huge relief to finally be able to move forward with new travel trends, free of the shadow of the pandemic.

“The return in demand for urban destinations is a most welcome development, and it is encouraging to see our predictions of the halo effect of the Paris Olympics for London being borne out in the data. I look forward to discussing these trends further during our joint webinar with ForwardKeys in June.” ✈