Malta Joins Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Norway And More In Propelling Europe’s Travel Revival With Double-Digit Gains Across Hotspots And A Strong Outlook Heading Into 2026

Published on November 28, 2025

Malta joins Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Norway and more in skyrocketing Europe tourism as the continent continues to see a surge in international arrivals and visitor spending. Despite challenges like inflation and extreme heatwaves, travelers are flocking to Europe in increasing numbers, fueling a tourism boom. With a 3% rise in international arrivals and a 2.7% increase in overnight stays, the region has proven resilient. Mediterranean hotspots like Malta, Cyprus, and Spain are leading the charge, while Northern Europe’s cooler destinations are also gaining traction. Travelers are prioritizing experiences, allocating more of their household budgets to travel, and embracing digital tools, making 2025 a record year for Europe’s tourism sector.

Europe’s tourism engine is powering ahead once again, and Malta stands among the standout performers driving the region’s remarkable momentum. The latest tourism report paints a vivid picture of a continent that, despite inflation, heatwaves, and higher operating costs, continues to attract waves of international travelers. This year’s summer season reinforced a clear message: travelers remain deeply committed to exploring Europe, spending more, staying longer, and increasingly relying on tech to shape their journeys.

Europe’s ability to blend culture, nature, gastronomy, and convenience continues to outweigh economic pressures. Year-to-date international arrivals climbed three percent, and overnight stays rose 2.7 percent, underscoring a robust recovery trajectory as travelers stretched their budgets to prioritize meaningful experiences. Tourism spending is forecast to expand 9.9 percent in 2025, reflecting a renewed appetite for cross-border adventures.

Southern and Northern Destinations Drive the Season

Across the continent, tourism growth spread across nearly every major hotspot. Of thirty-four reporting countries, thirty recorded increases in arrivals or overnight stays, revealing widespread strength across Europe’s tourism map.

Southern Mediterranean destinations not only held their strong position but set the pace for the season. In contrast, Northern Europe enjoyed its own surge as visitors sought cooler escapes amid intense summer heatwaves.

Here are the key performers one by one:

• Malta: +12% arrivals
• Cyprus: +10% arrivals
• Spain: +4% arrivals
• Portugal: +2% arrivals
• Norway: +14% arrivals
• Finland: +14% arrivals
• Iceland: +3% arrivals
• Latvia: +7% arrivals
• Estonia: +4% arrivals
• Poland: +13% arrivals
• Hungary: +9% arrivals
• Germany: −2% arrivals (post-football tournament cooldown)
• Turkey: −1% arrivals (due to rising tourism costs)

Southern nations benefited from beach demand, while northern regions captured nature-seeking travelers escaping extreme heat. In Central and Eastern Europe, competitive pricing boosted visitor numbers as travelers continued to prioritize value for money.

The figures underline the sheer diversity of Europe’s tourism strengths—from coastal islands to Nordic wilderness and historic Central European cities. Each region found its own lane in sustaining the summer momentum.

Travelers Change Their Habits to Adapt to Heat and Costs

One of the defining trends of the season was travelers’ shifting behavior. Weather extremes, packed airports, and rising prices shaped conversations across social media and travel platforms.

Nearly twenty-eight percent of travelers from eight major source markets said they plan to change their trip timing over the next two years. Their motivations were clear:

• avoid the hottest months
• steer clear of crowds
• reduce travel spending
• enjoy more comfortable sightseeing conditions

This shift indicates growing interest in shoulder-season travel, a trend that could help Europe push toward year-round tourism rather than summer-heavy peaks.

Tech Adoption Surges as AI Becomes a Planning Essential

Digital travel planning took center stage this year with an explosive rise in artificial intelligence adoption. AI usage for planning trips almost doubled, jumping from ten percent in 2024 to eighteen percent in 2025, led by younger travelers.

The country-by-country breakdown shows stark contrasts:

• China: 40%
• United States: 27%
• Europe: broadly rising but lower than Asia

Online travel agencies are now embedding AI tools directly into booking platforms, making personalized itineraries, intelligent price tracking, and automated seasonal suggestions part of the mainstream travel experience. This digital shift is expected to support Europe’s push to promote off-peak travel and distribute visitors more evenly across regions.

Value Remains the Top Priority as Travelers Seek Smart Choices

Even as inflation for tourism services cools, prices remain well above 2019 levels. This has made value for money the top driver shaping travel plans across Europe. Travelers are comparing more, planning earlier, and choosing destinations that offer a strong price-to-quality balance.

Central and Eastern Europe emerged as the clear beneficiary of this trend. Countries like Poland and Hungary delivered double-digit growth as travelers sought cultural depth at more accessible price points.

Long-Haul Visitors Return Strongly, Led by the U.S. and Asia

Another highlight of the summer was the strong rebound in long-haul tourism. After several slow years, Asia-Pacific markets are steadily rebuilding momentum. The report shows:

• Japan arrivals: up 24%
• China arrivals: up 21%

Although these figures still fall short of 2019 volumes, improving air connectivity, more competitive airfares, and stabilizing currencies suggest steady recovery ahead.

The United States continued its incredible surge:

• U.S. arrivals: up 5% year-on-year
• U.S. travel to Europe sits 35% above pre-pandemic levels

This makes American tourists one of Europe’s strongest growth engines. However, analysts warn that potential U.S. trade policy changes could disrupt outbound travel, making it a key risk to watch.

How Travelers Are Spending: Tourism Takes a Bigger Share of Household Budgets

Despite persistent inflation, travelers are channeling a larger portion of their household budgets into travel. Tourism spending is projected to represent 3.1 percent of total European consumer expenditure—higher than last year and above the long-term average before 2020.

This trend shows that travel has become a priority rather than a luxury, particularly for young adults who see experiences as essential to quality of life.

A Strong Outlook Heading Into 2026

Europe’s tourism outlook remains upbeat. As travelers embrace digital tools, explore more off-peak trips, and push for immersive cultural experiences, the industry is adapting with new strategies focusing on sustainability, comfort, and authenticity.

Forecast models estimate:

• Arrivals to rise 6.8 percent in 2026

The message is clear: Europe’s tourism rebound is not only continuing but evolving.

Destinations are now shifting their strategies to encourage:

• longer trips
• wider regional distribution
• deeper cultural engagement
• community-focused visitor benefits

This approach aims to transform high visitor numbers into lasting value for local communities and businesses.

Why Malta Stands Out in Europe’s Tourism Story

Among all the strong performers this summer, Malta’s twelve percent surge highlights how small island nations can attract massive demand through smart positioning. With its blend of beaches, heritage cities, and accessible pricing, Malta tapped into both the leisure and culture-seeking markets, strengthening its position as one of Europe’s rising tourism champions.

Its success mirrors the larger European story: resilience, reinvention, and a strong shift toward travelers prioritizing meaningful experiences.

Europe’s Tourism Momentum Shows No Signs of Slowing

Europe continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience in the face of global uncertainty. Travelers are becoming more selective, more digitally savvy, and more value-oriented—and Europe is responding. From Malta’s booming arrivals to Northern Europe’s nature appeal, the continent is moving toward a more balanced, year-round tourism model.

Malta joins Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Norway, and more in skyrocketing Europe tourism as the continent experiences a surge in both arrivals and spending. Despite higher costs and heatwaves, travelers continue flocking to Europe, driven by strong demand for cultural and nature-rich experiences, and a growing reliance on digital tools for trip planning.

The combination of strong demand, rising long-haul recovery, stable regional growth, and evolving traveler behavior signals that Europe’s tourism future will be shaped by flexibility, sustainability, and smarter experiences.