This year, travelers are increasingly choosing to avoid Europe's most visited cities and beaches in favor of less crowded summer vacation destinations. New data shared with Bloomberg by Chase Travel shows that cities with the largest year-over-year increases in tourism this summer include off-the-beaten-path destinations like Brussels, Munich, Zurich and Warsaw. (The data, based on cardholder spending, shows that the most booked cities remain London, Paris and Rome.)
The shift in emphasis to secondary cities largely reflects soaring prices in Mediterranean hotspots like the Amalfi Coast, as well as record heat on the continent, industry experts say. Rising inflation has put average luxury room rates in Europe above $1,700 in 2023, according to data from Virtuoso, a luxury travel advisor group, almost double the figure of 900 2019 dollars. Those record rates are expected to rise another 9% this summer, says Misty Belles, Virtuoso's vice president of global public relations. This affects where people choose to book, she said.
“We're seeing a desire to go to places or destinations where the rates aren't so exorbitant,” Belles says, confirming Chase's findings. “If you can't afford Italy, France or some of the traditional destinations, Belgium will offer better value for money.” A search on Google Hotels shows that five-star hotel rooms in Brussels are available for less than $500 during the first week of June; in Paris, the price is closer to $900.
Belles also says travelers are willing to try other destinations in the face of Europe's heatwaves. Last year was the second hottest on record on the continent, and each month of 2024 has brought new records. While the mercury reached 118 F in places like Sardinia last summer, average temperatures of 75 F in Zurich look awfully inviting.
And that's without counting the crowds.
“Last summer, Europe was very crowded, as well as incredibly hot,” Belles says. This combination has prompted more people to look for destinations further north in Europe, she says, with Virtuoso bookings to the Netherlands up 33%, bookings to Austria up 31%. and those to Germany by 26%.
“Don’t worry about Italy, everything will be fine,” Belles said. “But other parts of Europe are starting to attract significant numbers of people.”
One place where growth has caused concern is Amsterdam. The city ranks fifth among Chase's fastest-growing destination cities, despite tourism figures leading the government to launch a “stay away” campaign to discourage mass tourism.
Rebecca Masri, founder of luxury travel app Little Emperors, has a solution for those determined to return to their old favorites despite prices, weather and crowds: go after Labor Day. After all, she says, the traditional European summer season no longer feels like it ends in August.
As she says: “Our peak season for places like Italy and Greece is now September. »
Here's a list of the fastest-growing summer destinations among European cities, if you want to follow Masri's advice.
Europe's Fastest Growing Urban Destinations
- Brussels (73% growth over one year)
- Munich (63%)
- Zurich (59%)
- Warsaw (55%)
- Amsterdam (54%)
- Vienna (53%)
- Shannon, Ireland (53%)
- Zagreb, Croatia (51%)
- Prague (49%)
- Budapest (48%)
Source: Chase Travel
