In 2023, residents of the European Union made 1.14 billion tourist trips with at least one overnight stay, marking a 5.7% increase (+61.6 million) compared to 2022, according to Eurostat.
Of the total number, the majority of trips in 2023 (1.029 billion, or 90%) were for personal reasons, with the remaining 110 million being professional trips. Both sectors saw growth compared to the previous year: personal trips increased by 5.4% (+52 million), while business trips grew by 9.3% (+9 million).
Compared to 2013, the number of personal trips has grown by 11.7% (+108 million), while professional trips have decreased by 6.3% (-7 million).
Looking at the preferred destinations, Europeans primarily chose domestic locations, with 73% of the 1.14 billion trips being domestic. In terms of duration, more than half of the trips (56.5%) were short trips with one to three overnight stays.
In 2023, Europeans spent more on tourism, with estimated expenses reaching €553 billion, a 16.5% increase compared to 2022. This translates to an average of €97.6 per night, up by 11.8% from 2022 when the average was €87.3 per night.
In terms of spending per night, tourists from Luxembourg spent the most (€183), followed by Austrians (€161) and Irish tourists (€143), while residents of Greece (€48), Poland (€52), and Czechia (€57) spent the least.