EU Tourism Surges to a Decade-Long High in First Half of 2023
According to Eurostat, the statistical agency of the European Union, the first half of 2023 witnessed the highest number of tourists in Europe in the past decade. From January to June 2023, Europe recorded 1.19 billion nights spent, which is 0.9% and 12.9% higher than the same period in 2019 and 2022, respectively.
In essence, the number of tourists in Europe this summer nearly returned to pre-COVID-19 levels. Particularly high demand was observed from North American travellers.
Every month in 2023 proved to be better for tourism in the EU compared to the previous year, with January and February experiencing the most significant growth rates at 45% and 27%, respectively.
Tourism provides economic relief to countries heavily reliant on summer, which have suffered from three consecutive disappointing seasons.
However, the summer of 2023 was not without its challenges. Waves of tourists brought overcrowding and vandalism to Europe. Surveys conducted by the holiday rental agency Holidu indicated that Dubrovnik became the most crowded city in Europe, with 36 tourists per resident.
Second on the list, Venice, was declared by UNESCO in July to be under a "threat of irreparable damage," partly due to mass tourism.
Moreover, an anomalous heatwave in July threatened the health of tourists. The Red Cross set up emergency tents near the Acropolis in Athens. With temperatures reaching 44°C (111°F), this UNESCO-listed site was closed during the latter half of July "to protect workers and visitors."
Following extensive forest fires that raged continuously for several days on the Greek island of Rhodes, 30,000 people were evacuated to safety.
In Italy, "red level heat alerts" were issued for 20 out of 27 major cities in the country in July. Sicily, a particularly popular destination, saw temperatures soar to 47°C.
Overall, along the Mediterranean coast of France, Spain, Italy, and Croatia, thousands of tourists had to be evacuated due to forest fires this summer.
Research conducted by the EU Science Center revealed that tourists are increasingly opting for cooler climates in Northern Europe rather than Mediterranean destinations during the peak summer season.