Skift Travel News Blog

Most European travelers plan to take spring and early summer in the next months, according to a European Travel Commission survey. Around 40 percent will travel in June or July, while only 23 percent expect to travel in August and September, down 9 percent year over year. In April and May, almost 30 percent will take or took a trip.

The commission surveyed 6,000 Europeans in March who took at least 2 overnight trips during the last three years.

Between April and September, 72 percent of Europeans plan to travel, down 5 percent year over year.  Nearly three-quarters of Europeans over the age of 25 will travel in this period, while 61 percent of those under 25 years old plan to take a trip in this period. 

Europeans are hungry to travel in the next six months. By September, 60 percent will take multiple trips. Solo travelers are leading the trend with 34 percent planning at least trips, up 8 percent year over year.

Traveling within Europe is the top choice. Only 11 percent have trips planned for outside the region, while 58 percent will go to a neighboring country or a non-neighboring one.

Nearly half of travelers won’t change their trip budget in the next six months. Almost 20 percent will spend more. Those planning to spend more than 1,500 euros has risen by 7 percent year over year to 37 percent. 

The older traveler segment will spend more and take longer trips compared to other demographic groups.  Over half of travelers over the age of 54 will take trips that are at least 7 nights long and have budgets over 1,500 euros.

In the face of inflation and rising travel costs, travelers will cut back spending at their destinations.  About 17 percent will cut shopping expenses, 16 percent will choose less expensive accommodation and 15 percent will choose less expensive restaurants.

Europeans are also booking early to avoid higher prices. In fact, 52 percent of Europeans have already fully or partially booked their next trip, up 8 percent from 2022.

Despite rising household expenses, nearly 60 percent of European travelers won’t cut back on traveling or spending on trips in the next six months, according to a survey by the European Travel Commission.

The commission surveyed over 6,000 European travelers in December 2022 who took at least 2 overnight trips during the last three years.

Europeans are worried about their rising living expenses, but they are not cutting back their spending. Even as energy costs and basic necessities rise, travel is the only discretionary expense people are determined to keep, according to the European Travel Commission. About 59 percent plan to spend the same on travel as last year in the first half of 2023 (below).

Nearly 40 percent plan to spend 4 to 6 nights at a destination, up 6 percent from a year ago. Between 500 and 1,500 euros is the most common allocated budget.

It also seems higher airfares also won’t stop travelers from flying. Around 54 percent of travelers still plan to fly, up 10 percent for the same period last year. A Skift megatrend for 2023 is that airlines will have an easy time generating revenue from higher airfares. 

At destinations, however, travelers will reallocate their spending. Nearly 20 percent will reduce their shopping, 16 percent will book cheaper accommodation and 15 percent will pay for self-catering or less pricey restaurants, according to the European Travel Commission.

About 58 percent of European travelers plan to take multiple trips and 75 percent plan to take at least one trip before June 2023. In fact, 44 percent of European travelers have fully or partly booked their upcoming trip, a 7 percent year over year increase. 

In addition, Europeans are determined to cross borders for their trips in 2023. Visiting another country is the preferred choice of 63 percent of European travelers, up 13 percent from last year. Interest in domestic tourism dropped to 25 percent— its lowest level since August 2020.

About 72 percent of Europeans will travel for leisure, while 15 percent will visit friends or relatives, 7 percent will attend an event and 5 percent will take a business trip.

A UK-based hotel operations software platform is expanding offerings for restaurants through an acquisition. 

Guestline announced Tuesday that it has acquired UK-based Newbridge Software, a company that offers an electronic point of sale (ePOS) platform for bars and restaurants. Newbridge will operate as a division of the Guestline Group.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Guestline’s existing software platform covers a range of operations and payments for hotels across Europe and Asia, the company said. The company was founded in 1991. 

Founded in 2016, Newbridge has worked with standalone and group operators across the UK. The software includes real-time revenue and profit reporting, and it has features that enable table ordering, rewards programs and promotions.  

The Newbridge software will be fully integrated into the Guestline system, giving existing clients access to the ePOS software. The Newbridge software will also be offered as a standalone service, continuing to serve independent bars and restaurants

Andrew McGregor, CEO of Guestline, said in a statement that enhancing ePOS capabilities has been part of the company’s strategic focus. 

Lufthansa is mixing up its Boeing order as the manufacturer struggles with getting regulatory approval for its largest aircraft, the 777X. The German airline now is changing its order for that airplane to seven Boeing 787-9s, to be delivered in 2025-2026.

But that comes with its own risks. Boeing currently can’t deliver any 787s, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has mandated more inspections on the aircraft. Boeing last month said it had provided the regulator with its plan for fixes on the 787. The FAA has not provided a timeline for when it will sign off on the plan and deliveries can resume. Air Lease Corp. has estimated the 787 delivery delays have cost it hundreds of millions of dollars.

The 777X, or 777-9, similarly has come under regulatory scrutiny, with its entry-into-service slipping from next year to 2025, although the final decision rests with the FAA and other regulators. Lufthansa’s order signals that the airline believes the schedule could slip again.

Lufthansa’s order also includes 10 freighters, as the airline said it believes surface cargo bottlenecks now will continue for the foreseeable future, and shippers will divert more cargo to air freight. The airline is ordering three 777Fs for delivery beginning this year, and seven 777-8Fs, to be delivered from 2027.