Europe: Hospitality software company eviivo and SaaS travel provider RateGain have teamed up to offer key data insights determining the top travel trends in Europe, including the UK & Ireland, for this summer.
According to Real Research, 87 per cent of people across the world are planning to travel this summer, and flight searches are up 25 per cent for the season, according to Expedia Group. Airbnb, meanwhile, revealed in May that guests had planned stays in more than 72,000 cities and towns over the holiday season.
The two companies have identified the following major trends to expect this summer:
- Expect an explosive growth in bookings in Europe — and globally
After a sustained recovery in the European travel market in the first quarter of 2023 the market is projected to grow by 20 per cent in 2023 as a whole, reaching pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year. A number of popular destinations in Europe have already surpassed pre-Covid travel figures.
In Europe, the popularity of domestic and regional travel is back with the resurgence of business travel and the continued demand for leisure travel. Beyond these factors driving growth in the European travel market, a high demand for leisure travel also came from the United States, which enjoyed a strong purchasing power with a strong USD.
In Europe, nights booked for Q2 are up 15.4 per cent and ADR has increased by 13.2 per cent year-on-year, jumping from €125.17 to €141.64. Occupancy is up 10.2 per cent, while RevPAR has increased by 24.7 per cent.
In the UK, hosts are enjoying a 15.2 per cent increase in ADR, from £139.06 to £160.20, and a 14.4 per cent increase in nights booked compared to last year. Occupancy has jumped up 9.4 per cent and RevPAR has increased by 26 per cent, now settling at £52.83.
Short-term rental data provider Key Data reported in May that Q2 stays in the short-term rental industry went up 16 per cent globally. The number of nights booked for global Q2 stays is up 15.9 per cent annually, with 22.6 million more nights sold than at the same point last year. The average daily rate [ADR] is also up 1.4 per cent.
Expedia released an annual report that indicated 81 per cent of travellers worldwide pledge to travel in 2023 “no matter what”.
According to the report, the top three types of accommodations travellers are booking are hotels [24.71 per cent], resorts [17.15 per cent] and vacation rentals [12.24 per cent].
- Business travel is booming
Business travel is regaining its position at pre-pandemic levels with many businesses keen to resume face-to-face meetings and build relationships with clients. The development has led to a sharp increase in demand for business travel in major cities, as well as nature-bound settings in many cases.
eviivo CEO Michele Fitzpatrick said: “The ‘work from roam’ generation is helping accelerate business travel in an extraordinary way. People are eager to meet in person and travel to events, conferences and business meetings while extending their time in the destinations.
“Airbnbs, vacation rentals and other short-term rental properties offer them convenient, modern luxuries — kitchens, outdoor spaces, fast wifi, multiple rooms — to truly turn their business trip into a leisure one. Many eviivo property owners have seen this trend increase significantly in 2023,” she added.
The post-pandemic world has also given way to evolving traveller preferences and demands. Travellers are bringing their pets [“pet friendly” is now one of the top-searched filters on booking sites], and guests are seeking more remote places.
- Significant travel insights for summer 2023
At Adara [a travel intelligence company acquired by RateGain in January], RateGain has access to billions of data points from more than 300 partners to track the traveller’s journey and gain travel intent insights. Here are the top key insights:
– The United States contributes to the highest intercontinental leisure travel bookings in EMEA.
– France, the UK, Spain, Portugal and Germany show a high surge in exchange of travellers.
– The United States contributes to the highest searches made for most EMEA destinations.
– High leisure demand from Denmark and Sweden for European destinations.
– Germany emerges as an important business destination for EMEA.
– Couples prefer travelling to Spain, Italy, France, and Greece.
– Italy, France, and Greece emerge as top origins contributing to family travel in Europe.
- The top ten Europe destinations for summer 2023 — Portugal takes the crown
Based on RateGain International Inbound Flight Bookings for June – August 2023, here is where most travellers are heading to this summer in Europe.
– Portugal emerged at the top position as the most-visited destination in Europe for summer 2023, climbing up three places.
– The second highest bookings are made for Spain. Spain lost its position to Portugal, which has become the most economically viable destination in 2023.
– Italy is third on the list and has maintained a strong position in the post-pandemic years.
– The UK has seen a rise in flight bookings post-Covid period. It is in the fourth position in 2023.
– France is in the fifth place this summer as Portugal and the UK climb up the chart in international flight bookings.
Portugal is at the top of the list regarding flight bookings for travel to Europe this summer, having become a lucrative destination for business with its economic viability. Flights to Portugal from the Americas and other parts of Europe are more economical than any other European destination.
Both Portugal and Spain claimed the crown for top business and leisure destinations, with Italy coming in at third in all sectors.
| Rank | Overall | Business | Leisure |
| 1 | Portugal | Portugal | Spain |
| 2 | Spain | Spain | Portugal |
| 3 | Italy | Italy | Italy |
| 4 | UK | France | UK |
| 5 | France | UK | Greece |
| 6 | Greece | Germany | France |
| 7 | Germany | Greece | Germany |
| 8 | Netherlands | Netherlands | Croatia |
| 9 | Switzerland | Denmark | Ireland |
| 10 | Ireland | Switzerland | Netherlands |
- Top ten European cities for summer 2023 [by international arrivals]
Lisbon is the most popular leisure travel destination, attracting tourists from Europe as well as the Americas.
Serving as a centre for business meetings and a hub for traveling to other leisure destinations in Portugal, Lisbon has surpassed some of the most popular destinations in Europe in terms of international arrivals this summer.
London comes next, with a high number of arrivals from the United States.
Paris, one of the most visited places in the world, has the third highest international arrivals expected in summer 2023.
- Top ten most visited cities for summer 2023 [by international arrivals]
| Rank | Overall | Business | Leisure |
| 1 | Lisbon | Lisbon | Lisbon |
| 2 | London | London | London |
| 3 | Paris | Paris | Paris |
| 4 | Barcelona | Barcelona | Rome |
| 5 | Rome | Rome | Barcelona |
| 6 | Madrid | Porto | Palma De Mallorca |
| 7 | Porto | Madrid | Athens |
| 8 | Amsterdam | Amsterdam | Porto |
| 9 | Milan | Milan | Madrid |
| 10 | Palma De Mallorca | Copenhagen | Milan |
- The top ten trending / emerging cities / regions in Ireland based on confirmed online bookings via internal eviivo data with stay dates between 15 June and 15 August 15, 2023.
| IRELAND | |
| 1 | Cork |
| 2 | Kerry |
| 3 | Wexford |
| 4 | Clare |
| 5 | Dublin |
| 6 | Galway |
| 7 | Louth |
| 8 | Kilkenny |
| 9 | Tipperary |
| 10 | Waterford |
Cork
Stay at: Robin Hill House, Cobh
Kerry
Stay at: Luxury Castle Lodge, Beaufort
Wexford
Stay at: Wilton Castle, Enniscorthy
Clare
Stay at: Gate Lodge@White Strand, Fintra
Dublin
Stay at: Pembroke Hall, Dublin
Galway
Stay at: Fernwood, Clifden
Louth
Stay at: Collon House, Collon
Kilkenny
Stay at: Launard House, Kilkenny
Tipperary
Stay at: Kilcoran Lodge, Cahir
Waterford
Stay at: Comeragh Pods, Kilrossanty
As part of its ten-year anniversary this year, eviivo marked the milestone by launching eviivo Collective, which it described as the world’s first collection of “unique, notable and independent properties”.
With over 20,000 accommodations and 660,000 bookings per month, eviivo is a software for hotels, vacation rentals, resorts, B&Bs, urban rentals, guest houses, serviced apartments, inns, villas, cottages, campsites and unique accommodations, including windmills, boats, castles and yurts.
