Summer ’22: What Will the European Season Bring?

European tourism has been struck another blow with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Following two years of Covid spikes, lockdowns and disorganized reopenings, international travel is expected to take yet another hit this summer as consumers fear the war’s spread.

According to a study by MMGY Travel Intelligence, 62% of U.S. travelers said they were concerned about the war spreading to nearby countries as a factor in their plans to travel to Europe, and 47% said they would wait and see before making a decision.

There is also the uncertainty around another variant of Covid emerging — perhaps one more dangerous than Omicron. However, travelers may have already considered this in their decision making, with 31% of U.S. travelers saying Covid would impact their plans to travel to Europe in the same study.

Within Europe, there is “some nervousness” among consumers. However, there do not yet appear to be any signals that continental travel will grind to a halt. While Russian travelers will disappear from Europe’s beaches and spas because of the ban on Russian-operated flights by the E.U. and U.K. and some holidays from the U.K. to Poland and Bulgaria have been canceled, the concern centers around inbound travel from the Americas.

As part of Arival’s ongoing 360 Online event, we will host Stepping Back to Talk About Tourism in Europe in the Summer of ’22 on Thursday, March 17, 2022 to have an open discussion on the prospects for the season. It will be held online at 15.00 GMT / 16.00 CET / 11am EST. Registration is free for Insider Pro Access Members and Arival San Diego Attendees. Not a member yet? Join Now

This event is a general discussion based on opinions, not facts. It is too early for facts, but never too early for opinions from industry leaders. Join the interactive discussion and get an early read on what to expect in the coming months

Read more here about how you may help the people of Ukraine