International tourist arrivals in Europe 2006-2023
The number of international tourist arrivals in Europe grew in 2023 compared to the previous year. Despite a significant annual increase, inbound arrivals remained below the figure from 2019, before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching around 700 million in 2023. That year, Europe was the region with the highest number of international tourist arrivals worldwide.
What are the leading travel markets in Europe?
Both before and after the impact of the health crisis, France topped the ranking of the European countries with the highest number of inbound tourist arrivals, ahead of Spain, Turkey, and Italy. Overall, international tourist arrivals in France reached just under 80 million in 2022. When looking at the European countries with the highest inbound tourism receipts, Spain recorded the highest figure that year, followed by the United Kingdom and France.
The economic contribution of travel and tourism in Europe
In 2022, the total contribution of travel and tourism to Europe’s gross domestic product amounted to nearly two trillion U.S. dollars. This figure, which includes the direct, indirect, and induced impacts of these industries, was approximately seven percent lower than in 2019. Meanwhile, travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Europe also did not catch up with pre-pandemic levels.