Where do European tourists go?

Highlights. In 2021 Europeans spent the majority of their tourism trips in the country where they live. Italy and Spain were the top foreign destinations for EU residents in 2021. Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom were the top 3 tourist destinations outside the EU in 2021.



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The most visited countries in Europe
  • France. Annual visitors: 89.4 million. ...
  • Spain. Annual visitors: 82.7 million. ...
  • Italy. Annual visitors: 62.1 million. ...
  • Turkey. Annual visitors: 45.7 million. ...
  • Germany. Annual visitors: 38.8 million. ...
  • United Kingdom. Annual visitors: 36.3 million. ...
  • Austria. Annual visitors: 30.8 million. ...
  • Greece.


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France is the most visited country in the world with 117,109,000 international tourists, thanks to its rich history and iconic landmarks. Mexico comes in second for most visited countries, with 51,128,000 tourists, offering vibrant culture and stunning natural beauty.

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If you want to know why France is so popular, prepare for an avalanche of reasons. France attracts people from near and far with charm, sophistication, and style. Annually attracting millions of visitors, tourism accounts for over one million jobs and billions of pounds in revenue.

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Liechtenstein: For quiet mountain exploring
This petite sliver of a country sits nestled in the mountains between Switzerland and Austria. Being so small it has no airport of its own, but access via road or rail from surrounding countries is a breeze. Despite this, it's Europe's least visited country.

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Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom were the top 3 destinations in terms of number of trips made by Europeans outside the EU in 2021 (see Figure 4). Destinations outside the European continent made up only 6.4 % of all foreign trips (see Figure 2): 2.4 % to Africa, 2.2 % to America and 1.8 % to Asia.

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Places to visit in Europe in Summer to avoid the crowds
  • Pitigliano, Italy.
  • Frigiliana, Spain.
  • Symi, Greece.
  • Liscannor, Ireland.
  • Berchtesgaden, Germany.
  • Tbilisi, Georgia.
  • Lumbarda, Croatia.
  • Aberdeenshire, Scotland.


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It seems that children in Italy have the most time off in summer with a whole 13 weeks break. Like Spain, the schools finish in June and don't return until around mid-September meaning they enjoy around three months of summer fun.

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Switzerland is easily one of the most beautiful countries in the world—particularly if you visit during the winter, when the Swiss Alps become a luxury skiing playground and thick snow turns the mountain range into a true wonderland.

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Hong Kong. Hong Kong has become the most visited city in the world, surpassing Bangkok in recent times. Hong Kong welcomed 26.6 million visitors! With over 5 million more visitors annually than its closest rival, Hong Kong is expected to host at least 31 million tourists in the near future.

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Luxembourg is the wealthiest country in the European Union, per capita, and its citizens enjoy a high. It is a major center for large private banking, and its finance sector is the biggest contributor to its economy.

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And the world's most unfriendly country, according to the data? Bolivia took the dubious honor, scoring a 4.1 out of seven on a scale of “very unwelcome” (0) to “very welcome” (7). Venezuela and the Russian Federation were next.

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From here on, the city gained the nickname La Ville-Lumière ('The City of Light'). At the time, Paris was one of the first European cities to adopt street lighting, but the nickname really gained the most traction during the Age of Enlightenment that followed.

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